Strangeness and Charm
by NoxWillow
Summary: Addie is new to Republic City and quickly finds herself in debt to Mako and Bolin for saving her. In her efforts to pay them back, she gets entangled in the Avatar world, learning more about herself and the people around her than she ever expected. [Mako/OC] [Slight AU]
1. To Mop with Consequences

**Hey guys, I thought I would try and entertain you with a Mako/OC fic. I have this elaborate plot in my head of how all the shenanigans an OC would get up to in the Avatar world. I hope they are sensical and you enjoy the read along the way.**

**Also, as a note, this is slight AU. Since I had to move some events around to make room for the new character, expect minor things to be out of order. Don't worry, nothing major will be skipped. Some things will be added though ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own LOK, but I sure wish I did**

**Chapter one: To Mop with Consequences **

**xxXXxx**

The crowd screamed with fervor as the Fire Ferrets claimed another victory. Addie clapped her hands with excitement before shuffling her way out of the crowd. The nosebleeds were a roudy place to be, and if her boss found her slacking on her duties in favour to watch the match, she would lose her job instantly.

Her job wasn't glamorous. It was dirty, hard work, but Addie hadn't expected anything else. She was glad for the opportunity to put money in her pocket, even if her pockets didn't go deep.

"You missed a spot," a drunkard slurred as Addie reunited with her mop. She was tasked with keeping the floors of the nosebleeds somewhat clean. The thin layer of alcohol stuck to her boots as she scrubbed at the floor, ignoring the man who had taken an interest in her. "Did you hear me, girl?" the man asked, moving in closer to her. The crowd who had come to watch the match were beginning to filter out. They brushed past the two, ignorant of the unwanted attention the man was paying the girl.

"I heard," Addie replied. She made a point to mop over the floor where the man had pointed, dodging the feet of the people emptying the arena.

The man inched himself closer. He was near enough for Addie to smell the alcohol on his breath. "I could show you how to properly hold the shaft," the man offered, "of the mop, of course." His hand reached around Addie's waist to pull her in, squeezing her side. Every fibre of her being froze as the man turned her body to his. "This is the proper way to hold it."

Addie was somehow tucked into the man's body, his large frame dwarfing hers as his fingers inched up her ribcage, nearing the underside of her breast. Before the man could tighten his grip on Addie anymore, the girl whipped the mop out of his hand, snapping it back to make contact with his face.

The man's cry was muffled by sound of the arena, the contact enough for Addie to slip out of his grip. She didn't waste time to check the damage done. There were enough people for her to slip into the crowd and lose him. His breath still clung to her nose though, the pressure of his grip still clinging to her middle.

Finding herself removed far enough away from the man, Addie slumped against the wall and dropped her mop with more anger than necessary. Hashino, her boss, had warned her to keep away from the guests. They were paying customers after all. It wasn't her job to get in their way. She was there to clean after them and leave the reputation of the arena in good standing. He hadn't mentioned the guests would be so handsy though. Addie had done well enough to keep herself small and out of the way. Except for when the match had risen in intensity and pulled her attention away from the floor. Hopefully the man who had accosted her had been too drunk to do anything more than nurse both his wound and pride as he exited the building.

That hope fell short, for out of the corner of her eye, Addie could see the man bobbing his way towards her. She wasn't hard to miss. Her red hair stood out against the crowd of dark hair so commonly found in Republic City. Addie cursed as she escaped further into the crowd. Still new to the arena and it's mazelike construction, the girl found it hard to navigate. Any hallway would do, Addie thought as she took her luck on the multiple doors lining the halls. The first three were locked with the fourth offering her passage. Not bothering to guess where she was going, Addie threw herself into the corridor, locking the door behind her.

A tense beat passed before the handle began to jiggle and then stopped. The man must have moved on. That didn't leave Addie feeling any better about returning to her station. Instead, she'd wait it out. Looking around her, she found herself in a stairwell. There was no way up except for roof access. That made sense, being she was in the nosebleeds of the arena.

Assuming enough time had passed, Addie grabbed the door she had slipped through only to find it didn't budge. _Shit_. It had opened for her from the other side. Now she was locked out of the only part of the arena she knew. Down she would go then, trying a door on each level only to find them all locked. Nearing the bottom and ignoring the panic setting in the back of her mind, Addie tried for the last door, surprised when it opened with ease. This new hallway was long and straight. Perhaps Addie was under the stadium for the curve of the building didn't warp the hallway here like it did the upper levels.

"Hey," someone shouted at Addie, a rough female voice. It was another caretaker, an elderly woman pushing a cart full of cleaning supplies. "You supposed to be down here?"

Addie licked her lips. "I work here," she said, indicated their matching uniforms. Long blue jumpsuits with heavy boots and pulled back hair.

The woman sneered at Addie as she neared. "No shit. But that doesn't give you clearance to roam the building as you please. Where are you stationed?"

"I was on the top level and took a wrong door. I got stuck in a stairwell and kept going down till I came here. It was the only door that would open." It wasn't a total lie. An omission of truth, really.

This woman's bullshit detector seemed to being on high alert. "Is that so? Where's your cleaning supplies?"

Addie snapped her empty hands behind her back and gave the woman her best grin. "Look, I'm just lost. If you could just point me in the right direction, I'll be on my way."

"You're not a groupie, are you? It wouldn't be the first time one of you girlies has stolen a uniform to get close to the pro-benders."

"Oh no," Addie waved her arms. "I'm not a groupie. I do actually work here and I really am lost." Pulling out her ID, the redhead showed it to the skeptical caretaker. The woman grabbed at the ID card with rough hands, only satisfied when she saw Addie's portrait on the tag.

"Humph. Fine then. Third door on the left behind me. Go up three flights. It will take you to the employees lounge."

Addie wasted no time bolting for the door and scurried up the stairs only to find the door on the third flight locked. _Spirits have mercy_, what did Addie ever do to doors to deserve this kind of luck? One more flight then, and by the gods, she hoped that door would be unlocked.

As her hand came down on the handle, the familiar sound of the click was sweet on her ears as the door opened. Making her way down the hallway, Addie was once again lost, alone, and wandering aimlessly. It was only a loud bout of yelling that indicated people were present.

"This is bullshit," a male voice said. "I'm over it, and I'm over you. Find another waterbender." The sound of something hitting the floor echoed through the hall before a man wearing pro-bending clothes stomped out the room to Addie's right. "Ugh, out of my way," he whined as he bumped into her.

Addie flattened herself against the wall as the man passed. Her curiosity got the better of her as she inched further to see where the commotion had occurred. Before she could get any further, a yell from further down the hall reached her ears. Whipping her head to the left, Addie could make out the man she had earlier hit with the mop. His face was streaked red from the nose down, his collar covered in blood. There were two guards behind him, following his finger pointed directly at Addie.

"That's her. She's the one who attacked me."

The blood from Addie's head rushed to her feet as she looked for an escape route. Her luck with door wasn't proving very fruitful lately, so instead of trying another random hallway, she bolted for the nearest opening.

The room to her right was occupied by two very surprised pro-benders, two out of the three Fire Ferrets she had just watched win the match. There was little time to waste as Addie slammed the door behind her, her back pressed against it as she met their surprised faces.

"What the hell?" the tallest of the two boys asked. Mako, if Addie remembered correctly. The other must be his younger brother, Bolin. "Bro, are you still trying to bring groupies up in here?"

"What? No!" Bolin shouted. "I've never seen her before. I swear."

"I'm very sorry for this," Addie said, cutting Bolin off as the door strained behind her. The guards must be trying to bust in. She leaned further into the door, ignoring the angry voices coming from behind it, the ones cursing her out.

"Who are you?" Mako asked. He was bent down at the waist, picking up a discarded helmet on the floor. The waterbender must have thrown it on the ground in a fit moments before she barged in.

"Uh…" the door strained again. "I work here in the cleaning department. I was accosted by a man. I may have broken his nose in an attempt to get away. He seems very mad about it."

"You broke someone's nose?" Bolin asked. He seemed both surprised and impressed by her.

"I think so," Addie said as she turned her back to the boys. She grabbed at the door handle as the locked popped open from the other side. Using as much force as she could muster, she held the handle tight in her hands, ignoring the rub against her skin as it turned. "Look, I'm about to get sacked or have the living shit kicked out of me. Possibly both."

"What do you want us to do about it?" Mako asked, his voice raising.

"I don't know. I really need this job and I like my bones intact," Addie panicked. There was only a second more before the door burst open, sending her stumbling backward into Bolin. The two tumbled to the ground as two guards burst into the room, the drunk man right behind with an accusatory glare in his eyes.

"There she is, the little witch. Broke my nose!" He didn't seem as drunk now, just pure rage.

Addie untangled herself from Bolin and scurried backwards as the guards descending on her.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bolin piped up, pulling at the guard who had his large hand wrapped around Addie's forearm. "Is that necessary?"

The man with the broken nose turned on the earthbender, hate in his eyes. "I don't think she deserves any better. She should be fired for what she did. Throw her out on the street if we have to."

"And what exactly did she do?" Mako interjected. He put himself in between the man and Addie, the girl still in the guards' clutches.

"I literally just said it," the man cried. "She broke my nose."

Addie ripped her arm out of the guards grasp. "Only after you grabbed me."

"I never touched you," the man sneered.

Addie ignored the red creeping in on her vision. "That's bullshit and you know it." Looking at the guards, the girl stood up to her full height. She was aiming for intimidation. No one looked very intimidated though. She wasn't short, but she certainly wasn't tall. "Are you really going to believe him? He's half drunk."

"He's a guest," one of the guards said, but his tone wavered.

Mako outstretched his arm, trying to broker any sense of peace in the room. "Look gents, I think we can all agree things got out of hand and some regrettable actions may have occurred," he shared a glance between Addie and the man. "But why don't we agree to let bygones be bygones. We can all walk away from this."

The man's hair bristled on his head. "But my nose. It's all bent out of shape. She ruined my beautiful face."

"Beautiful is a generous word for it," Addie mumbled under her breath.

Mako's foot was swift to kick Addie's shin. Message received. She shut her mouth. "I wouldn't suppose free tickets for the rest of the season would ease things for you?" Mako asked, giving his best winning smile to the man.

"Is he allowed to do that?" the man asked the nearest guard.

The guard shrugged. "As long as he's paying for it, I don't see why not."

Mako grimaced for only a second. "So we'll buy you a season's pass, and my friend here gets to keep her job. Everyone's happy, right?"

The man stood straight, arms crossed in an effort to look dignified. The dried blood on his face ruined the effect. "I say we have a deal."

Bolin seemed to come to his senses at this point and interjected himself into the conversation. "Well, then, why don't I take down your information, we'll get the tickets sent over to you and we can call it a night?" Escorting the man and the two guards out to the hall, Bolin shut the door behind him, not before giving both Mako and Addie a quick thumbs up.

A heavy silence creeped between Mako and the girl as she struggled for something to say. "So… how much do season tickets cost?"

Mako's thumb rubbed the bridge of his nose. His eyes were closed. "A lot. A lot of money we don't have to just give out."

Addie felt a flair of guilt creep up in her chest. "I can pay for it," she said, more to fill the silence than because it was the right thing to do. She hadn't much money to spare either. She really didn't have much at all.

"That I can work with," Mako said. He dropped his hand from his face and looked at Addie for the first time without dismay. It wasn't the reaction she had hoped for. Weren't pro-benders allowed to bring whoever they wanted to the arena? Wasn't that a perk of the job? "We can work out a payment plan then."

Incredible. This man was all about numbers. Had he any sense of sympathy? She supposed he must have had some. He did sort out the situation for her without costing her job or her face. "Alrighty then. I can do that."

"Do what?" Bolin asked as he returned to the room, a piece of paper with the man's information on it.

"Our friend here is going to pay us back the money for the season's pass," Mako answered.

"Oh," Bolin shrugged. "That's nice of you. It's a fair bit of money."

"I should be the one thanking you," Addie offered, deciding to bite down her pride. She should be thankful things ended up the way they did. "Who knows what that man would have done to me otherwise."

Mako crossed his arms. "You should really be more careful around here. That man could have done a lot worse."

"I know, that's why I said thank you." Addie took a moment to brush off some imaginary dust from her jumper. "Right then, I better get back to work. The upper floors aren't going to mop themselves. I suppose you two will be here over the next few nights for the following matches? I can bring the first round of money to you then?"

Bolin leaned against a table and waved his hand in a lazy circle. "We actually live here, in the East tower above the training room. You can usually find one of us there."

"And how much should I bring?"

Mako pulled the paper with the man's information out of Bolin's hand. Finding a pen, he scratched a number down and passed it to her. "This is the total. Why don't we say five payments, one every two weeks."

Addie tried not to cry as she looked at the number. This was three months worth of rent, and she barely had enough money to cover one. "Yup. I'll make it happen." She hoped her voice didn't sound as high as it did to her ears. "I'll see you in two weeks then." She handed the paper back to Bolin. "There's not a chance the guy would settle for anything less, would he?"

Bolin scrunched his face. "That's a hard no. Out in the hallway, he was rambling about beating you to a pulp if we didn't deliver on the tickets."

Addie smacked her lips together. "Mmhmm. That clears that up then. So two weeks, right?"

She was already shuffling to the door, wanting to rid herself of the room and the boys' intense eyes. "Wait," Mako said. It felt more like an order than a suggestion. "Don't we get your name? So we know who to ask for in case we don't see you in two weeks?"

"I won't flake," Addie said, annoyed he had so little faith in her. "I make good on my word. Besides, I work in the building. I won't be hard to find."

"Your name," Mako repeated.

"It's Addie." She debated whether to stick her hand out. It felt far too formal for the situation.

"It's nice to meet you, Addie. I'm Bolin." The younger brother outstretched his hand, taking hers even though she didn't offer it. "And this is Mako. He's got a terrible personality but it grows on you. You'll see."

Addie gave them both a small smile, trying desperately not to let the situation get to her. Not only was she broke, but now she was in debt. "It's nice to meet you two. I'll see you around, I suppose."

"Suppose you will," Mako said as he eyed the door. It was a clear dismissal. Addie didn't bother to take up any more of their time. Not only did she have her job to finish, now she had to figure out how to repay these boys for the mess she had gotten herself into.

How strangely things always worked out for her.

**xxXXxx**

**Yay, chapter one! Hope you all liked it. Addie is having a rough start in the city. Maybe she just needs some friends. Maybe creepy people need to not be creeps. At least Addie stood up for herself. Things just didn't end up how she intended.**

**I would love it if you left a review though, cause oh boy, does it feel good to get reviews.**

**Cheers!**


	2. I'll Make a Bender Out of You

**Hey all. Hope you had a good Easter! Here's chapter two for ya. I wonder if people avoid Mako fics because of his character arc in the first two seasons. He's not everyone's favourite but I think he really redeems himself in the third and fourth book. I hope to explore his character more thoroughly in this fic, along with all our favourites and see how an OC effects everyone. **

**Disclaimer: I regrettably do not own Avatar or the Legend of Korra.**

**Chapter Two: I'll Make a Bender Out of You**

**xxXXxx**

Addie exited the room, leaving behind the two brothers who had come to her rescue. She didn't feel very good about the situation. She had been in Republic City for a total of three weeks, and the city that was supposed to offer her the chance of success seemed to be spitting in her face.

She had spent nearly all of her money making the journey from Da Po Fu, a northern state in the Earth Kingdom, still separating itself from its imperialistic past. The conditions of the state had many people fleeing for better opportunity, and as so many had done before her, Addie had travelled to Republic City, dreams fully realized but not actualized.

The journey East had been rough. Addie had been smart, cautioned by a few well-wishers on her way to keep her belongings close but that didn't stop someone from trying to pick pocket her. She had felt the man run his hand along her bag in the train station before she saw him. Her indignant cry once she realized what was happening sent the man scattering off empty handed. It had left a bad taste in her mouth though. Everyone seemed suspicious as the train rolled out and steamed down the country side into new lands.

Once Addie had arrived in Republic City, a small tote in hand to keep all her belongings, she set off to find a place to stay. After three days of searching and staying in rundown hostels, Addie found an apartment in the Dragon Flats borough. The area may not have been the safest, but it fit within Addie's limited budget. A temporary home until she secured a job and could pay for something better. There seemed to be enough buzz on the streets and it was close enough to downtown.

With an apartment to call home, Addie the spent the next week applying for jobs. That may have been even more exhausting than finding an apartment. But a broke Addie wouldn't last long in the city. When the job came up in the cleaning department at the pro-bending arena, she could hardly refuse.

The pro-bending arena was new territory for Addie, who had never seen a firebender before. The bending population in her village was extremely small and out of her entire family, she was an anomaly. The only waterbender in a clan of earthbenders. It made her stick out like a sore thumb and her waterbending suffered for it. Without a proper teacher, Addie had learned bending by observing her younger siblings move earth. Addie was sure her movements were wrong. They felt clunky, relying on brute force rather that the grace waterbenders were supposed to exhibit. But no one had corrected her, so the habits remained.

Perhaps moving to Republic City had been more about bending than financial opportunity. If only Addie could corner some poor waterbender and beg them to teach her how to move. She felt embarrassed watching her first pro-bending game as she moped the floors on day one. The waterbenders moved with grace and ease, their positions dictated by the flow of water. Addie would be a laughing stock in anyone saw her control the element.

Now returned to the nosebleeds after meeting the pro-bending brothers, Addie found her mop and resumed her task. There was no one left to argue with. No man to make uncomfortable advances on her. No rowdy crowds to dodge around as she cleaned. The floor was empty except for her.

Maybe she could speed things along and practice her bending while she was at it. When she first got the job, no one had mentioned she couldn't bend. She certainly wouldn't have if anyone was watching but there were no prying eyes.

Setting her mop down, Addie stretched her arm out and felt for a connection to the water. She slowly pulled a small amount out of the bucket before growing impatient. Giving it a little more power, the water shot out of the bucket and splashed the ceiling. Addie cursed and dropped her arm immediately as the water fell back to the floor. She had watched her younger siblings countless times pull earth from the ground, shooting it up like a rocket. Perhaps she didn't need as much force. Water was much lighter than earth, after all.

She had made a rightful mess of the floor now. Water on both the ceiling and ground. With a sigh, Addie felt for that connection again. It never felt quite right though, like the water didn't want to listen to her and only moved by force. When she tapped into it, she urged the water to spread out, hoping to cover the floor in a more even manner for mopping. Instead, the mop bucket tipped over and spilled the rest.

Addie cursed again, trying to keep the water from going everywhere, but her hold on the element was loose at best. All she managed to do was stop it from soaking her shoes.

"Wow, you're a terrible bender."

Addie cried out, the water slipping from her hold and spilling on to her shoes. She whipped around to find Bolin, eyes wide as he looked at the damage she had done.

"I don't mean to insult you or anything. But that was rough."

Addie covered her eyes with her hands, very much wanting to disappear into the floor. Here was a top pro-bender, watching her fail miserably at something she should have been better at. "I didn't realize anyone was here."

"Oh yeah, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I was just coming to check on how you were doing, you know, after _everything_." Bolin's eyes widened on the last word.

"I'm just having a rough night," Addie confessed.

The earth bender nodded. "I can see that. Sometimes by bending gets the better of me too when I'm stressed."

Addie hesitated before speaking again. "Actually, this is usually how my bending goes. I've never been formally trained—by waterbenders at least. I've only ever seen earthbenders before."

"Really?" Bolin asked, shocked such a person could exist.

"Yep. My family is full of them. Your brother was the first firebender I've ever seen." Addie wondered why she was telling him so much so fast. Surely, Bolin didn't need to hear all of this. But the boy had such a kind face, one of the first kind faces she had seen in Republic City. And it felt good to vent.

Bolin's eyes lit up. "Ah, that makes sense. You seem to move water more like earth than, well, water. It was so aggressive."

Addie hung her head. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Everyone needs to learn bending from someone. You just need a teacher," Bolin suggested.

Addie perked up at this. "You think? I don't know any waterbenders though."

Scratching his head, Bolin hummed and hawed for a moment. "I would have offered for you to learn from my teammate, but he just quite." Addie tried not to let the disappointment show. "But don't give up. If there's one thing I am, it's resourceful. I'm sure I can find you someone who would teach you."

Addie felt the kindness radiate from Bolin. She wondered how long it would last when the next words came out of her mouth. "I can't offer money for a trainer though. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay your brother back."

Bolin waved his hand. "Don't mind Mako, he has a stick up his ass most of the time. Besides, I've been in the pro-bender world for a little while now. There's bound to be someone who would help."

"I would really appreciate it." Addie hesitated then. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, can I ask why you're helping me? I've done nothing but make a mess of things all five minutes that I've known you." The girl pointed to the mop bucket and the puddle around it.

"I can't imagine not having someone looking out for me." Bolin said, scratching the back of his head. "Mako's been there my entire life. If I can offer someone even an ounce of help for someone else, why wouldn't I?"

Addie gave the earthbender a huge grin. "You're too kind for this place."

Bolin returned the gesture. "Now you sound like my brother."

"About him," Addie said, twisting he fingers together. "Could you not mention to him that I'm a bender? Or to anyone else until I get proper training? Everyone here seems to have a really good grasp over their element, pro-bender or not. I want to know what I'm doing before I go advertising to the world that I'm a bender too. I want to be able to hold my own."

Bolin crossed his arms. "Are you sure? Mako could be a good resource for you, even if he's a firebender. He has a lot of experience fighting against waterbenders."

Looking back at the mess of the floor she had made, Addie shook her head. "I want to be confident in my skills before I tell one of the best pro-benders that I can bend. You weren't supposed to find out either. No one was until I was ready."

"I can respect that," Bolin said as he extended his arm. Addie reached out to grap it, giving it a firm shake. "And don't worry, I'll make a bender out of you yet." His radiant smile was almost enough to convince her of it.

**xxXXxx**

Mako let the chicken on the pan sizzle for a second more before pulling it off the stove. Bolin had run off after the match to who knows where, telling Mako none of his plans. This wasn't new to Mako, but that didn't stop it from annoying the shit out of him every time Bolin disappeared.

Setting the chicken on a plate, a boring dinner if anyone asked, Mako dug in. He cleared his plate before his brother came bursting through the door.

"Out for a stroll?" Mako asked. "You almost missed dinner. There's some chicken left on the stove."

Bolin beelined it for the small kitchen and helped himself straight out of the pan. "I made a friend," the boy said between mouthfuls. "She's the girl."

"I don't need to hear about your womanly escapades," Mako said. "In fact, please keep them to yourself."

"No, no, no," Bolin said. "Not like that. I mean the girl who came bursting in after the match, Addie. I went and found her after she left."

Mako pushed himself back from the table and placed his dirty dishes in the sink. "You followed her? That's weird, bro."

Swallowing his food, Bolin opened his mouth to protest. "It wasn't like that. I just didn't like the way things ended between us all. She looked so sad when she left. You know I can't let someone leave feeling sad."

"You're too kind for this world," Mako said as he filled the sink with water.

"That's what she said." Bolin finished the last of the chicken before dumping the pan in the sink and leaned against the counter. "She's really nice, you know."

"Bolin, now's not the time to get distracted. We have the tournament to worry about and we need to find a new waterbender. That girl owes us money for saving her ass. Let's leave it at that." Lowering his hands into the sink, Mako began scrubbing the dishes. This conversation was clearly over. If Mako hated one thing, it was distractions and Bolin was clearly distracted.

Bolin hovered for a moment, debating whether to push the topic but Mako was in cleaning mode, and cleaning Mako was a tense Mako. "Alright. Well, Pabu and I are going to hit the streets tomorrow, try and make a little cash doing the old jig." He gave his brother his best jazz hands for emphasis. "Street performing," he clarified when Mako looked confused. "We're going to bed early so we can be on our best for the good people of Republic City."

"You do you, bro," Mako said as he finished the dishes. "I'll be a the plant tomorrow, but I'm going to spend some time handing out flyers for try-outs. We need a new waterbender before our next match in two days."

Bolin soluted his brother before heading to the ladder leading to the bedrooms. "Aye-aye, sir. I'll ask around and see if anyone is interested in joining too. See you in the morning."

With Bolin gone, Mako was alone in the apartment and left to his thoughts. They strayed to the girl who had burst into their lives that evening. She had clearly made an impression on Bolin but Mako's thoughts on her were fleeting, quickly overrun by the tournament ahead and the prospect of finding a new waterbender. He would have to act fast to fill the position, lest they lose their spot in the tournament. That was something he couldn't let happen.

**xxXXxx**

By the time Bolin had woken, Mako had already left for the day, leaving Bolin's calendar wide open. While his agenda did call for some good old street performing, Bolin's priorities had shifted as of yesterday. Today, he was going to find a waterbender willing to train Addie. He would have to leave Pabu behind for this one as he took to the streets. He needed laser focus.

The mission felt honourable, and Bolin took it with great responsibility. Addie reminded him somewhat of a lost puppy, trying to take a bite out of the big bad world but barely able to bark. In some ways, she reminded him of himself. The world would be cruel to her if she didn't have a guardian. Much like Mako had been his, Bolin would offer what protection her could for her. It made Bolin feel more purposeful.

"Reiki," Bolin said as he rounded a corner in a park. "Just the guy I was looking for."

Reiki stood no taller than five feet one, a scrappy twelve-year-old who knew the streets better than anyone. "What do you want?" the boy asked, to busy playing cards with a few friends to really look at Bolin.

"I want to know if there are any waterbenders who'd be willing to train a newbie for me."

Reiki dropped his cards, grinning to his friend as he revealed a winning hand. "Pay up, gents," he said. "And you too, if you want information." He looked expectantly at Bolin, hand outstretched.

The earthbender had some crisp bills ready to go. "I forgot to mention they would be training for free."

Reiki let out a loud laugh, his hand falling to cover his chest. "You're out of your mind, old man. No one will train for free."

"I'm not an old man," Bolin deadpanned. "And I figured if anyone would know someone who'd train for free, it'd be you."

"There is no one because no one would be stupid enough to train for free. Go bug someone else." Reiki dismissed Bolin with a wave of his hand.

"You're rather rude for a twelve-year-old," Bolin mumbled as he slumped away, clearly defeated. There went his only lead. As far as asking other pro-benders, he didn't think Mako would approve of approaching the competition, even for Addie's benefit.

Maybe he could go to the waterbending district and ask someone there. Addie was so rudimentary in her bending that she didn't need an expert, just someone who knew the basics. That would be good enough.

With a set plan, Bolin hit the Water district, spending his day asking around for free waterbending training. Perhaps Reiki was right, for no one took the opportunity unless there were dollar signs attached to it. Defeated, hungry and with the day spent, Bolin made his way back to the downtown core. He wondered if his plan was harder to see through than he anticipated, sensing the disappointment Addie would feel when he couldn't deliver. Maybe it was useless. Maybe he has wasted a perfectly good day of street performing on such a fruitless task. Hopefully Mako had fared better in finding a waterbender for their team.

Wait. Mako was on the hunt for a waterbender too.

Bolin pulled at his hair with the sudden realization. How easy would it be to ask the new recruit to train Addie on the side? It could be a favour to the Fire Ferrets. Rounding the corner close to the arena, Bolin put some speed in his step, eager to see if Mako had found what he could not. I

It was an impact hard enough to rattle his bones that sent him flying across the street before he could make it through.

Bolin tumbled across the road, skin scraping along the pavement in a painful fashion. Someone was next to him immediately, grabbing at his arm and apologizing profusely.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. Naga gets going so fast and we're not used to dodging traffic, especially people."

Bolin moaned as he was pulled to his feet, a female steadying him as he found his balance. "It's okay. I don't think anything's broken."

"Oh good. You hit the ground pretty hard. I was worried."

Popping his joints, Bolin flashed the girl his best winning smile, noting her attractiveness. She was tall, lean, with dark hair, and adorned in Water Tribe clothes. "I'm all good. I should be used to hitting the ground hard. Happens all the time in pro-bending." He slipped the last words in, hoping she would catch it and be impressed.

The girl stepped back for a second as recognition passed on her face. "You're Bolin, of the Fire Ferrets." Her face lit up and she leaned in closer. "I'm such a huge fan. I listen to your matches when I can. You guys kick ass!"

Bolin straightened his shirt, more than pleased with the praise but trying to play it off as cool. "It's always nice to meet a fan." He stuck his hand out. "It's nice to meet you… uh?"

The girl met his hand and gave it a good shake. "I'm the Avatar, but you can call me Korra."

**xxXXxx**

**Oh la la Bolin finally meets the Avatar. Now the plot can really get going. I'm curious to know what you guys think about Addie. Like her/hate her? (prefer that you to like her ;p). Everyone in the Avatar universe seems to be such a pro with their bending. I thought it would be fun to spin the trope a little. We gotta rookie up in here!**

**Please share your thoughts if you'd be so kind in a review, they feed the writer's soul!**


	3. Cold Receptions

**Hey guys, for those new to the fanfic, welcome! For those returning, just an fyi, I changed Kenja's name to Addie since Kenja sounded too similar to Korra. I actually prefer Addie as it means 'noble' or 'nobility'. I like the idea that her name represents the one thing she wants so badly but doesn't have… yet. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Wishing I owned LOK, but still don't**

**Chapter Three: Cold Receptions**

**xxXXxx**

Bolin made a real effort not to let his jaw drop as he stared at the Avatar. "Oh, shit. I can't believe I just got tackled by the Avatar."

Korra laughed as her giant creature came up behind and nuzzled its head into her hair. Bolin wasn't sure whether to be weary of it or impressed by its size. "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. We're new to the city. There are more moving parts than I expected."

"The city can seem pretty big if you're not used to it. How long have you been here?" Bolin asked. If Korra wasn't bothered by the animal, then he wouldn't be either.

"Only a few days. I got into some trouble when I first arrived. I'm not technically supposed to be here. If Tenzin found out, he'd probably kill me. But I'm going to die if he makes me meditate anymore."

Bolin nodded. "I don't know who this Tenzin is, but I'd probably lose it too if I was forced to meditate."

Korra's eyes widened. "You totally get it then. I just needed some space and to get away from Air Temple Island for a bit."

"Is that where you're staying?"

Nodding, Korra scratched the giant fluff ball behind its ear. "It's where I'm doing my airbending training. Councilman Tenzin is training me, since he's the only Airbending master."

Bolin crossed his arms, his thoughts whirling around as Korra spoke. "So, you're pretty well versed in all types of bending?"

"Of course," Korra said. "I'm strongest in waterbending out of all the elements. I'm originally from the Southern Water Tribe."

Scratching his chin, Bolin wondered whether or not to push his luck. "Say, you wouldn't be interested in competing in a pro-bending tournament, would you? Our team is short a waterbender."

Korra's eyes nearly fell out of her head. "Are you serious?"

"Pretty sure I am. Our teammate quit on us yesterday, unless I imagined the whole thing. I don't think I did. I'm sure Mako was there. And Addie too. She's not really related to the pro-bending thing, but she was definitely there."

Korra wasted no time in throwing her arms around Bolin. "You have no idea how badly I want this. Yes, I'll join your team." She squeezed him tight before letting go. "Tenzin will flip if he finds out though." She paused for a minute, seeming to run different scenarios in her head. "I don't know how I'll do it, but I don't care. I'm in. I'll find the time. I can get off the island easily enough."

Luck was surely on Bolin's side if the Avatar agreed to be on his pro-bending team. Perhaps he could push it a little more. "You wouldn't also be interested in training a rookie waterbender, would you? You wouldn't need to do much, just show her the basics."

"Train a rookie?" Korra asked. "I don't know. I don't know if I'd have the time to do that too. I still have my own training to do."

Bolin gave her the biggest puppy-dog eyes he could muster. "It would mean a lot to me. And you'd be helping someone who really needs it."

That seemed to strike a chord with Korra. "I'm sure I can make something work. The role of the Avatar _is_ to help people."

Bolin pumped a fist in the air. "Oh Korra, you are the best Avatar ever. Mako's going to lose it when he finds out you're on our team. We'll win the competition for sure. Are you free anytime soon? You should really meet him."

Korra looked at her polar-bear-dog-thing and shrugged. "I'm still technically not supposed to be here so what would it hurt to spend a few more hours out? Where do we need to go?" Korra paused for a second. "You're not going to kidnap me, are you?"

"Of course not," Bolin said, waving his hands. "I'm pretty sure the Avatar could kick my ass if I even tried. Not that I would. Besides, you're going to love this; we're going the pro-bending arena. We live, train, and compete there."

Korra didn't need to be told twice as she placed her trust in Bolin. "You lead the way, and I'll follow."

Bolin wasted no time showing her where to go. "Good, cause I want you to meet someone else as well."

**xxXXxx**

The night after meeting the pro-bending brothers had been terribly sleepless for Addie. She had tossed and turned, torn between excitement at learning proper water bending and wondering how she would pay off the brothers.

When the sun came up, Addie was already out of bed. Her shifts at the area didn't start till mid-afternoon, but she wanted to figure out how to repay the brothers sooner than later. There were plenty of restaurants throughout Republic City. Surely one was short staffed. She could work there part time until she had payed her debt.

The morning was spent handing out resumes. Most of the restaurants in Dragon Flats borough were hole-in-the-wall dirt fests, and Addie bet most wouldn't have passed a health inspection if one happened. Maybe if she found a place closer to the arena, she wouldn't have to sacrifice her dignity or cleanliness. Plus, her commute between the two would be short.

Five blocks from the arena, Addie was pleasantly surprised to find a ramen shop with a 'Help Wanted' sign. The owner had been more than pleased with Addie's resume and hired her on the spot for the morning shift. Business was slow at that time, consisting mostly of drunk business men stumbling home from a rough night out, but Addie was pleased for the hours. She would start in three days' time, working breakfast and into lunch, five days a week, then head to her shift at the arena. The hours would be long between the two jobs but Addie would pay off the brothers far quicker this way.

Noting the time, Addie found her way to the arena for her shift. There was another match tonight, though Addie didn't know who was playing. She wondered if Mako and Bolin were in the building. Didn't Bolin say they lived here? Did that mean they trained constantly? Addie let her thoughts wander around the Fire Ferrets as she began her shift, time flying as she cleaned. It was her stomach rumbling that pulled her thoughts from the brothers. Time for her break before the match started later tonight.

"Addie!" Someone called as she made her way to the break room. "Hey, wait up."

The girl stopped in her tracks, pleased to see Bolin cross the hallway to her, a stranger right behind.

"Addie, I'm so glad I caught you. I want to introduce you to someone." Bolin gave the stranger an encouraging smile as she came up to them. "This is Korra. Korra, Addie. Korra is the Fire Ferrets newest waterbender." The two girls shook each other's hand as they exchanged pleasantries.

"It's nice to meet you," Addie said, slightly embarrassed she was wearing work clothes when meeting another pro-bender.

"You too," Korra said, standing tall and proud. She didn't seem bothered by Addie's attire or her lowly position as a glorified janitor. "Bolin mentioned you were looking for a waterbender trainer. Said you needed someone to show you the basics." Korra mocked a few punches for extra emphasis.

Addie's cheeks flared. "Yes, I, uh, don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to bending."

Korra waved off the statement. "It's okay. Figuring out bending can be tricky. I still don't know how to airbend."

"Oh, I thought you were a waterbender," Addie said, confused.

"I am. I'm the Avatar."

Now Addie really felt embarrassed. Not only was she meeting the Avatar, but the Avatar knew how terrible of a bender she was.

"Crazy, right?" Bolin said, interrupting Addie before she could die of embarrassment. "Almost too good to be true."

Addie let out a weak laugh. "Yep. Absolutely."

Korra seemed to sense the girl's unease and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Honestly Addie, I know how hard controlling an element can be. I promise you you'll get the hang of it. We can train after our pro-bending practice tomorrow."

Licking her lips, Addie nodded her head. So, what if the Avatar knew how shitty of a waterbender she was. Addie was grateful anyone was willing to train her. "I'll take all the help I can get."

"Good," Korra said before looking to Bolin. "Now to find your brother. Tell him all the good news."

"You're going to see Mako?" Addie asked before the Avatar could turn on her heels. "Any chance we can keep our training private? I don't want anyone to know how bad of a bender I am."

Korra locked a hand on her hip in what Addie could only describe as a power pose. "Yeah, of course. But trust me, once I'm done with you, the whole world will know how great of a waterbender you are."

Bowing her head in thanks, Addie waved as the two wandered off down the hall in search of Mako.

Addie didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she watched them leave. The Avatar would be training her. How in the spirits name had this happened? If only Korra could make Addie the waterbender Korra thought she could be. A miracle it would be, indeed.

**xxXXxx**

Mako felt the fire flow through him with a wave of frustration. As he punched his arm out, a stream of flame struck the target in the training gym. Today had been disappointing in finding a waterbender for the Fire Ferrets. He had only had so much time to spend looking before his shift started at the plant, so he spent it handing out crudely made flyers. He hoped the promise of riches and glory and a chance to be on the Fire Ferrets team would be enough to draw people in, but there were hardly any biters.

Of the two who had seemed interested, a quick demonstration of their waterbending quickly put them out of the running. Their movements were slow and uncoordinated. Evidently these people were not trained fighters, just fans of the sport. Mako had let them down gently, hiding his frustration as he ran out of time. His shift was starting at the plant soon. While pro-bending could make you good money, it didn't hurt to supplement it with a second source of income. Not with the way Bolin ate.

When his shift had ended, Mako had gone back to the arena, noting the training gym was empty. It wasn't often one got the gym to themselves but Mako wouldn't pass on the opportunity.

In his frustration, Mako continued a string of flames at the target, alternating punches with kicks. It felt good to get his grievances out. He was running out of time before their next match, and if he couldn't find a bender, he would at least bend the hell out of this dummy.

"Geeze, Mako. Really feeling the heat over here," Bolin said, interrupting Mako's blaze of glory as he entered the gym.

"Never too much heat," Mako grunted as he sent one last punch and turned the dummy to ash. The boy wiped at the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand before turning to Bolin. Only then did he realize the two had company.

Behind Bolin stood a girl, completely infatuated with her surroundings. She walked right past Bolin, her eyes wide as she took in the room. Mako straightened himself before grabbing a towel to wipe the rest of his sweat away.

"Bolin, I thought we agreed you'd keep your womanly escapades private," Mako whispered as he pointed to the girl.

"Mako, Mako, Mako. This is Korra. Korra, this is my brother." Bolin grabbed the girl by her shoulders and steered her towards Mako. "Korra is a waterbender."

Mako wasted no time throwing down the towel and extending his hand to the new girl. She was tall, tan skinned, dark hair, and built like a warrior. Perfect. "Hi. Hello. Welcome to the arena."

The girl grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically. "This is amazing. Bolin just gave me the tour. I never thought I'd get to see the inside of the actual pro-bending arena."

Mako let out an uneasy laugh as the girl's grip tightened on his hand. It was incredibly strong, almost to the point of pain. He tried not to let her see him shake it out after she let go. He didn't think she noticed either way. Her eyes were glued to everything but him. She was like a kid at the circus.

"So, you're a waterbender?" Mako asked, giving his brother a thumb's up when Korra's back was turned to them.

"And a firebender. And earthbender. Still working on the airbending, though." Korra spun on her heels, enjoying the look of confusion on Mako's face.

That's when two and two clicked. The Avatar. Bolin had recruited the freaking Avatar.

"Right," Mako said, feeling the room getting hotter. "Bolin, may I have a word?"

"Feel free to poke around," Bolin urged Korra. "Get all familiar and what not."

Korra obliged as Mako pulled Bolin aside. "The Avatar? Are you serious?" Mako whispered, trying to keep his voice down.

"What? You said we needed a new waterbender."

"Yeah, but we can't use the Avatar."

"Why not?"

"Because she's the Avatar. Isn't that cheating?"

"Actually," Korra said, squeezing into their circle, "it's not cheating so long as I only use waterbending." She flashed Mako a smile. "I'm a really good waterbender too. You wouldn't have to train me."

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bolin, two strange woman you get involved with in two days. You really keep me on my toes."

Bolin clasped his hands together. "So Korra can join the team?"

The girl, no, the Avatar, shot him a look of desperation. "Please? I swear I won't fuck it up."

Huffing out a breath, Mako considered the options. Say no and be back at square one or say yes and have a trained bender ready to go. Only an idiot would say no, and he certainly wasn't an idiot. "Fine. But its temporary, until we can see you fight and evaluate how well you gel with the team."

Bolin squealed with delight as he wrapped Korra in a bear hug. "Team Fire Ferrets, look at us go."

Korra returned the hug, lifting Bolin off the ground as the two cheered each other on. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said as she set Bolin down. "I promise I won't let you down."

"Good," Mako answered, wondering what he was getting himself into. "We'll have our first training session tomorrow. 8:00 am."

Both Bolin and Korra groaned. "Why so early?" Bolin cried.

"It's the only time we could get in. Korra," Mako said, giving her a curt nod, "welcome to the team. See you tomorrow, bright and early." Not having much else to say, Mako excused himself from the room, knowing full well Bolin would fill the Avatar in on all the pertinent information.

Mako's adrenaline, however, hadn't been entirely spent. Instead of heading back to the apartment, he let his feet take him around the arena. Walking was second best for clearing his head next to training. Anything that kept him moving, really.

Turning a corner, Mako nearly smacked head first into someone, a girl. No, it was _the_ girl. The one Bolin had been going on about yesterday.

She wasn't particularly tall. Her colouring was unique though; hazel eyes with freckles along her nose. She had thick red hair, pulled back in a lose braid. Her face was angled more sharply and looked full of surprise and she shuffled back, nearly dropping her broom in hand.

"Kenza," Mako said, trying to remember her name.

"Addie," she corrected as she straightened herself. There seemed to be a flash of panic before her next words came out. "I don't have the money yet. You said you'd give me two weeks for the first payment."

Mako took a second to get her words straight. Money? He wasn't here for money. "I'm just out for a walk. I'm not here to collect."

"Oh," Addie said. "Of course. I'll get out of your way then."

Mako wondered what he had done to get the cold reception. Maybe he hadn't of been in the best moods yesterday when they first met. He had been rather occupied by the fact that his waterbender had just quit. Maybe now was the time to smooth things over. He struggled a moment on how to do that before an idea hit him. "If you want, you can come watch our next match. It's in two days."

The girl seemed to consider his words. "Thanks, but I don't want to add that to my tab."

Mako tried not to slap his face. That wasn't at all what he meant. "No, you wouldn't have to pay. You'd be our guess. It's not the same as buying a ticket. Plus, I know Bolin would like it if you were there."

Addie eyed the boy as if she didn't believe him. Was Mako really that bad with people? He was going to have to work on his frosty exterior at some point. Guess being a firebender didn't equate a warm persona.

"I would have to make sure my schedule was free, but I don't think I work that day," Addie said.

"Perfect. You can meet us in the benders booth before the game. I'll let Bolin know you're coming." Mako felt decidedly better about the whole thing. Not only did the Fire Ferrets have a waterbender, he was smoothing over his conscious he hadn't been aware was feeling guilty until now.

Addie nodded, seemingly ready to depart the conversation. She was about to leave before asking one last thing. "Did Bolin find you?"

"Yes, I just spoke with him," Mao answered. "Why do you ask?"

Addie's grip tightened on the broom handle. She seemed incredibly tense around him, despite Mako's efforts to smooth things over. Was she going to swat him in the face like the last guy who had pissed her off? Mako took a cautionary step back. "He came here on his way to the training room," Addie answered. "That's all."

"Right, I guess I should let you get back to your cleaning."

Addie loosened her grip on the handle. "Of course. Thanks." The girl made a wide birth around Mako, giving him plenty of space.

"It was Addie, right?" he called after her before she could disappear. The girl whipped around, meeting his eyes for a quick second. "Not Kenza."

"That's right," she said.

"I'll remember that."

The girl didn't respond. Instead she busied herself with the broom, working her way out of his line of sight.

Mako certainly had a way with people. That was for sure.

**xxXXxx**

**Oh Mako, poor guy. Doesn't quite get how people perceive him. And Addie, poor dear. Doesn't quite know where her place in the world is yet. **

**Please read and review, it makes my heart swell.**


	4. Dead Weight

**Hey guys, let me know how you feel about the story so far. Are you liking it? If you do, leave a review! **

**If you also want, hit me up on insta and DM me there! You can find me at avelynmusic. Cheers!**

**Chapter Four: Dead Weight**

**xxXXxx**

Addie was surprised by the letter left in her locker once her shift had finished. It was from Bolin, detailing tomorrow's itinerary. He and the Fire Ferrets were to train at 8:00 am. She was too meet both Bolin and Korra afterwards in the park nearby for her first waterbending session.

Both anticipation and anxiety whirled around in Addie's stomach. This was one of the reasons she had moved her life from Da Po Fu. The chance to learn from proper waterbenders felt like a luxury. It would certainly be nice to be around people who shared the same talent, regardless of their skill levels. It would be even nicer to be around people who didn't scorn her for what she was, or more importantly, what she wasn't.

The Aoki Clan in the Northern Earth Kingdom was highly regarded in the military, commanding the Kita Kaze division; a branch known for their rapid fire earthbending. The technique was highly efficient, utilizing small chunks of earth to take out threats with deadly precision. It was an art her family had mastered.

When Addie had first presented as a waterbender at age ten, her family had hung their heads in shame. Members of the Aoki Clan were world class earthbenders. To have a waterbender plague the family line was near blasphemous. Addie had been forbidden to practice her element, only learning in secrecy by observing her family. The translation between earth and waterbending was rough though, if not non-existent. Addie had struggled to teach herself, so on her eighteenth birthday, she made the decision to leave Da Po Fu.

She hadn't bothered to tell her family where she was going. They wouldn't have cared. The night she left had been a calm one, almost anticlimactic. Addie had packed her bag, counted the money she had saved, and left in the shadows. No one had followed her. No one had tried to stop her. Addie had only told her one confidant she was leaving; an elderly cook she had befriended at a young age. The old woman had been sad to see the girl driven out but wished her luck and to be weary of pick pocketers along the road.

Now, settled in Republic City, Addie wondered what her family would think if they could see her as she was. Not only had she befriended the best up and coming pro-bending team, Addie was to receive waterbending lessons from none but the Avatar. Addie's mother's nickname for her rang in her head, "Jicho"—dead weight. Her mother constantly called her that as a reminder she was useless to the family. No longer though. Addie would find her purpose, if not to her family, then for herself.

This dead weight would float.

**xxXXxx**

The park was rather dead considering the nice weather, Addie thought as she waited for Bolin and Korra. There was a strange homeless man parked in the bushes nearby, however. He occasionally popped his head out to make small talk with Addie, but for the most part left her alone.

"Addie, you made it," Bolin said as he came into her line of view with Korra close behind. The two were already in training clothes, sweat marking their hard work from their previous session with Mako.

Addie gave them a quick wave as she pulled herself from the ground. Her legs had grown stiff while she sat waiting for them. "I wouldn't miss the chance."

"Good," Korra said, stretching her back to the sound of satisfying pops. "Mako got us warmed up. You better be ready for it." Addie opened her mouth before closing it, not sure what that entailed. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to fight you. Don't look so scared," Korra laughed.

Shaking out her nerves, Addie tried to feel more confident. "Right, of course. So, what are we doing today? Are we training here, in the open? It seems so public.

Korra shook her head. "No. I found the perfect place to train you, out of sight but close to a good source of water. This was just a convenient place to meet first time round. Where we're going is a place I found it on my first day exploring the city. Follow me." Bolin didn't need to be told twice and took up an easy stride next to the Avatar. Addie had to put some speed into her steps to follow the two, out of the park and down to the harbour.

The beach Korra lead them too was further from the public eye, guarded by a cliff that offered them more privacy. Waves lapped against the shore in a lazy rhythm while a large rickety dock extended out from the cliff above. Its rotten wood, degraded by saltwater made the contraption look unsavoury at best.

"We'll train here," Korra said, placing her hands on her hips as she looked out over the horizon. The view offered a direct line of sight to Air Temple Island. Korra stared at it for a second before turning on her heel to Bolin and Addie. "First thing's first. I need to see what I'm working with."

"You mean you want to see my bending," Addie clarified.

"That would be a good place to start," Korra laughed.

Bolin stepped forward to give Addie an encouraging smile. "I've seen you waterbend. You got this."

"Yep. I got this." Addie said, more to reassure herself than anything else. Walking forward past Korra, Addie planted herself a good five feet from the shore. Arm outstretched, Addie felt for that connection to water which never came easily. She had to fight for it in her mind, force the element to listen to her. When she felt it in her grasp, Korra swung her arm up, a wild string of water blasting from the shore. With a violent thrust of her arm, the water veered right before misting into the wind. Satisfied, Addie turned around to face her audience. Bolin seemed mighty pleased with her. Korra however, had her lips pursed.

"You definitely bended the water," she said, arms crossed and fingers drumming on her arm.

Addie licked her lips. "I know it's not conventional. I've never seen another waterbender before watching a pro-bending game. Even then, I'm so far away in the nosebleeds, I can't really tell what they're doing."

"It's okay. Now you have a waterbender to show you how it's done." Coming to stand beside her, Korra settled into a relaxed pose. It directly clashed with the stiff posture Addie maintained. "Waterbending is all about moving with the flow." Holding her arms up with bent elbows, Korra began to sway.

Bolin had joined the two, mimicking Korra's actions. "Like this?"

"Exactly," Korra smile. "Now you try," she said to Addie. The girl gave Korra another once over to make sure she was mimicking correctly. Arms out and bent, Addie began to move side to side. "Close, but don't make it so mechanical. Be more fluid." Addie tried to relax the movement. Rather than moving left, right, left, right, she aimed for the fluidity Korra had mentioned. "Good. Focus on the waves before us. See how they come in and out. Match your movements to that."

The three of them moved in silence together, following the waves as they lapped on the shore. "When you feel like you and the water are the same…" Korra twisted her right hand in lazy circles, water twisting up in a similar fashion. "It's not about brute strength. It's about moving with the flow."

Addie felt like she had focused enough on the water to feel for that connection. It came more easily than before she tugged on it, the water resisted, and the connection was lost. Addie cursed as she lost her momentum.

"I thought I had it," she said, more to herself than anyone.

"If you got it on your first time, I'd be impressed," Korra said. "It takes practice."

"I wish earthbending was like this," Bolin said from Korra's right. He was still swaying with the rhythm, his eyes closed. "I'd rock myself to sleep."

Addie watched the boy move. If an earthbender could find the rhythm of water, so could she. Focusing on the water again, Addie let her body fall into the sway. This time, rather than tugging on the element, Addie let her arm raise when the movement felt right. It took longer, but as she arm lifted, a steady stream of water rose from the shore. It hovered for a moment before Addie's excitement got the better of her.

"I did it," she cried as she dropped the connection.

"Aw man, that was loads better," Bolin cheered. "None of that pew, pew, angry thrusts, water everywhere thing you like to do."

Korra clapped the girl on her shoulder. "See, I told you you'd get the hang of it. Now again."

Korra had Addie practice the same move for the next hour, adding in little distractions to try and throw her concentration off. It had first begun with little pebbles being tossed in front of her person before the pebbles got bigger and closer to her face. Bolin had enjoyed this and used the time to practice his own bending. Soon enough, Addie was swaying in a mini rock storm, trying her best to feel the water and move with it, rather than force it while earth moved around her.

Mentally exhausted and covered in sweat by the end of the session, Addie had felt drastically better about her bending. She seemed able to maintain a steady connection to the water now. While not yet capable of maneuvering it, Addie could hat least hold on none the less.

"That was a good session," Korra said as she layed down on the sand and stretched her legs out.

Addie felt like she could go to sleep right there on the sand. Both her mind and body were drained. She had never bended for so long before. Stretching out as Korra had done, Addie relaxed into the beach, not minding the sand as it settled in her hair. "That was a fantastic session. Thank you, really."

"I'm glad Bolin found you. I've never trained someone before," Korra said. The boy was further down the beach, tossing rocks with his bending as far out into the water as he could. Addie watched with admiration. Bending came so easily to him. To Korra as well.

"I've never been trained before," Addie said, raising an eyebrow. "I hope I wasn't a difficult student."

"Trust me, until you've been around airbending kids, you don't know difficult." Both girls let out a laugh, enjoying the sound of the waves and the occasional plop of rock from Bolin.

Sitting up, Addie crossed her arms over her knees, leaning her chin on her forearms. "What's it like, being the Avatar? It must be nice knowing exactly who you're supposed to be."

The question seemed to catch Korra off guard. "It's all I've ever known. I wouldn't know how to be anything else."

Addie looked out to Air Temple Island. "That's your home, right?"

"It is now, but it feels more like a prison sometimes," Korra said.

"That I understand," Addie said as she stood up, not giving Korra a chance to comment. "Thank you, Korra, for today. I appreciate it."

The Avatar followed suit. "You don't have to thank me. I don't mind helping out. It's kind of my job. Plus, I enjoy it." The girl smiled, her eyes kind. "Same time tomorrow then?"

Addie returned the smile, though she wasn't sure it met her eyes. "Absolutely."

**xxXXxx**

Mako had secured himself a date tomorrow night. The spirits were on his side, surely. And in a rare move, the girl had been the one to ask him out. It might have been due to the fact she had hit him with her mope-head, but Mako couldn't resist the raven-haired beauty when she helped him to his feet, offering to take him to dinner tomorrow night after his match.

Asami, her name was. What a lovely name. Mako felt light on his feet as he drifted back to the arena, his head in the clouds. He hardly noticed Bolin crossing the street with Addie until they were in front of him. The girl looked a little rough, if he was being honest. Her clothes were crumpled, her hair full of sand. She didn't seem to mind though. She was laughing at something Bolin was saying. Classic Bolin; always had the ladies cracking up at his jokes. Maybe Mako could crack some jokes with Asami tomorrow night.

"Mako," Bolin said when he caught sight of his brother. Addie twisted on her feet awkwardly, nearly stumbling before she caught herself. "How are you? I was just out with Addie. She wanted to go for a late morning stroll. I was showing her all the sights on the city. Within a reasonable distance, of course. It's not like I took her to every borough in Republic City. That would be crazy."

Addie gave Bolin a quick shove in the ribs. "I think he got the point."

"If you ever want a tour guide, Bolin is the man for you," Mako said as he joined them in their walk to the arena. "He knows every corner of this city. Especially the restaurants."

Addie eyed Bolin with an impressive look. "I don't doubt it."

"So Addie," Mako said, making a point to get her name right, "You're still coming to the match tomorrow, right?"

Bolin halted on his heels. "You're coming to the match tomorrow?" he asked Addie.

"Yeah, Mako invited me yesterday," the girl explained.

"Mako, you didn't tell me!" Bolin looked devastated.

"It slipped my mind," his brother said.

Bolin was practically swinging his arms as he skipped down the sidewalk. "This is great news. Now you'll get a front row look at pro-waterbending."

"Waterbending?" Mako raised an eyebrow. "Don't care about the others?"

Addie looked at Bolin with deadly precision before turning to Mako. "No, it's not that. It's just that I've never seen waterbending up close before. Not at the skill level of pro-benders at least. There aren't any waterbenders in the Northern Earth Kingdom."

Mako considered her words for a moment. "What about firebenders? Have you ever seen one before?"

"A few, when they travel far enough north. They're usually tradesmen."

Mako wondered how Addie had remained so sheltered her whole life. How isolated was the Northern earth Kingdom? Growing up in Republic City had exposed both Bolin and himself to every walk of life. He didn't know how to say thing without offending Addie. There seemed to be a lull in the conversation for which Mako didn't know how to fill as the three approached the entrance of the arena.

Bolin was the first to break the silence that had settled over them. "Tomorrow, Addie, you'll get a front row seat—the best in the house. You'll see first-hand pro fire and waterbending. It'll blow your mind." The boy mimicked having his brain explode by the sheer awesome of it all.

Addie seemed rather thrilled by the promise. "I can't wait."

"Well, ladies and gents, if you'll excuse me. I need to shower. Get all this sand off of my body." With that, Bolin disappeared into the arena, leaving Mako and Addie alone outside.

"Where exactly did he take you that you're both covered in sand?" the firebender asked.

Addie seemed to only realize now the state of her appearance. She quickly gave her body a pat down, shaking off any loose sand on her clothes. Her hair would have to be tackled in the shower. "He took me down to the harbour. We were throwing rocks in the sea. Bolin might have gotten carried away."

Noticing a small clump of sand on her shoulder she had missed, Mako reached out and flicked it off. "You missed one." The girl gave him a quick thanks. "You know, I'm glad we met you," Mako said to try and fill the awkward silence that had once again settled. "Bolin doesn't have many friends and you two seem to get along well."

"Your brother is a really good guy. You got lucky."

"Did I?" Mako couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.

"There's a saying where I'm from, that you can't pick and choose your family. You lucked out with him."

"And you," Mako asked. "Did you luck out with your family?"

The girl wouldn't meet his eyes. "My family always did what they thought was right for the family name."

Mako could sense the unease creeping over the girl. He was about to change the subject before she did it for him. "I'll see you tomorrow night, Mako."

She was gone before he could say anything else.

**xxXXxx**

**Here we get a little more back story on Addie. Hopefully you liked it. Girl's got some issues to work through lol. Who do you think is gonna help her get through them? Bolin? Korra? Mako? Maybe they all just need group therapy. That would be an interesting read ;P**


	5. Ready, Set, Pro-Bend

**A few of you have asked who Addie is paired with. This is a Mako/OC fit ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own LOK**

**Chapter Five: Ready, Set, Pro-Bend**

**xxXXxx**

Addie had parted the brothers and gone straight home to clean off before her shift started. There was enough grit in her clothes to fill a child's small sandbox, and it was starting to rub uncomfortably on her skin.

Her apartment in the Dragon Flats borough had a studio layout. There was enough room to fit a small bed, rickety table, and couch before Addie was in the kitchen. Off to the side was a bathroom containing a decent sized tub and small sink. Addie would have sacrificed the large tub for a bigger vanity surface, but beggars couldn't be choosers. As she shook out her clothes and ran the bath, Addie slipped into the tub, too impatient to wait until it had finished filling.

The hot water felt good on her skin. It soothed the minor irritation the sand had caused and relaxed Addie's rigid muscles. While Korra had preached flowing with the waves, Addie still held on to a great deal of tension. Now, in the bathtub and with some privacy, Addie dipped her hand beneath the surface. Lifting it back up, she felt for the stillness of the water cupped in her hand. The connection was immediate, and Addie smiled to herself as the water floated out of her cupped fingers. The water hung like a blob in the air, motionless but under her control. With her other hand, Addie pinched at the blob and pulled a thin line out, like a yarn of wool unravelling. The water followed her fingers as she dunked them back under the surface, melting the blob into the tub. It was progress. Korra and Bolin would be proud.

Scrubbed and ready to go to work, Addie spent her shift once again scrubbing floors. The Fire Ferrets weren't playing tonight but that didn't stop the girl from taking a few minutes to watch the match going down below. There were some good plays tonight, a knock out from the clearly superior team. Addie wondered if they would play against the Fire Ferrets should Mako and Bolin qualify in tomorrow's game. The boys seemed to move effortlessly with one another, but would they work well with Korra? The Avatar was a good teacher but Mako struck Addie as an authoritative type. She could easily see the two clashing. She could also see Bolin getting stuck in the middle. Addie giggled to herself as she imagined Bolin running between the two, trying to smooth out any tension that might occur during training. She would have to ask tomorrow during her session with Korra how the three were getting along.

**xxXXxx**

"Mako's a fantastic firebender but he thinks he knows everything," Korra said after Addie had asked. The two girls were out on the beach the next day, the morning sun weak as a haze of fog covered the shore. Korra had met up with Addie after her morning pro-bending training session. The Avatar had wasted no time putting Addie to work. Today, the girl was tasked with moving water back and forth against the push and pull of the waves. It was more work and concentration that yesterday's task, but Addie put the effort in. She had felt more confident holding still water. This was the next natural step in her bending training.

"I got that vibe from him," Addie said as she pulled water toward her. She was only able to control a small amount, but it followed her instruction when she let her mind wander a bit. That seemed to be her problem; she was overthinking bending and water didn't respond well to it. "What about Bolin?"

Korra was sitting on a large rock jutting out from under the dock. She looked relaxed as she leaned into the stone, not worried about the dirt on her clothes. "Bolin is great. He's hilarious actually. Sometimes I think it gets on Mako's nerves."

Addie slowly raised her hands up, a large swell of water lifting from the surface of the sea. Korra sat up right as Addie dropped the swell, both surprised by the accomplishment. "Holy shit. That was amazing. Do it again."

Addie stared out at the water and then back at her hands. "I don't think I can. I don't even know how I did it in the first place."

Hopping down from the rock, Korra came up beside the girl. "You weren't forcing it, that's what happened." Addie put her hands in her head and groaned despite Korra's praise. "What? That was good!"

"But why am I only good when I'm not thinking about it? That makes no sense. It's like the more I try, the harder it is to do. What nonsense is that?" Bending down, Addie grabbed a few small rocks and aimed them at the water. She had every intention of throwing them in a juvenile fit when something caught her eye. "What is that?"

There was a low flying aircraft coming towards them out of the fog. The sound of its engine grew louder as the plane approached, seeming to head straight for them. At the last moment, its nose turned up, driving the machine towards the city above as it crested the cliff. Leveling with the skyscrapers, a trap door on the plane's underbelly opened up. A whoosh of papers exploded from the bottom and drifted to the streets below. A few caught wind and began dusting the shore where Korra and Addie were both watching.

Addie was first to grab one of the papers. Lifting it from the ground, she dusted the sand from the front. The page was covered with the silhouette of a man, the words 'Equality' stamped beneath. Korra had grabbed a copy for her own, reading the flyer with disgust. In a flash, the paper burst into flames and crumbled to a crisp. "Equalists," she cursed. "They're getting bold."

Addie released the paper. It caught the wind and drifted out to the water, being quickly swallowed by the surf. "Who are the Equalists?"

"They're a group pf people who think bending should be illegal. I ran into one preaching their message the first day I was here. He was spouting utter nonsense." Korra kicked at the sand with frustration. "They're idiots, nothing more."

"Are they dangerous?" Addie asked. She looked back at the city, following the path the plane had taken with her eyes. Were the people of Republic City reading these flyers with contempt or agreement? Had it been safe to come to a city full of people bent on tearing down benders?

Korra smoothed her hair back. "No, they're not dangerous. Not for now, at least. I should get back to the Island. Tenzin will want to know about this. I'll see you at the match tonight though." Korra stepped out into the water, apparently going to swim her way back to Air Temple Island. Addie raised an eyebrow. "What? It's not like I have a boat. Don't worry about me. Just keep practicing your bending." With a quick wave, the girl disappeared into the surf.

Addie was let alone on the beach, her attention drawn once again to the last of the flyers settling on the shore. The word 'Equality' had never sat well with her. Her family had never treated her with such a kindness. Would the city do the same?

**xxXXxx**

The stream of people filtering into the arena was packed full of energy. People shook each other's hands as bets were made and money was laid down on who the winner would be. The Fire Ferrets with their new waterbender were the talk of the crowd. Most people seemed to think it risky introducing a green player so late into the game. Would this effect their efficiency? The team was known for strategic plays, wiping out their opponents with quick, clean moves. Addie was sure this was Mako's doing. He probably drilled strategies into his team's head every chance he got.

At the entry way, Addie only realized she had come empty handed. She had no ticket, only the invitation Mako had made verbally. How was she supposed to get in?

"Ticket," the attendant at the door asked, his hand out expectantly.

"I was invited by Mako from the Fire Ferrets," Addie said, noting the queue of people building up behind her.

"Yeah, you and everyone else." The attendant looked somewhere between bored and annoyed. "Now show me your ticket or leave."

Addie fumbled her hands across her person, hoping a ticket would magically appear. "I don't have a ticket."

"Then get out of the line." The was a chorus of agreement from behind Addie. The queue was teaming up against her.

"Alright. I'm leaving." Addie gave the attendant a good stare for what reason she didn't know. Maybe intimidation? It had no effect and the girl was left on the stairs, no way of entry despite the promise of a front row seat.

Maybe Addie could get in through the employee's door on the side of the building. Skirting around the arena, she made a beeline for it. The security stationed there was a man named Jahiro. He was elderly and charged with manning the comings and goings of employees. He look unperturbed as Addie approached.

"Jahiro," she said. "How are you?"

The man was chewing on a piece of tobacco. "Ah, Addie. You're not supposed to work today."

"I know, but I left something important in my locker. Would you mind if I went in and got it?"

Jahiro looked the girl up and down, an eyebrow raised. "We're not supposed to let employees in when they're not schedule for a shift. Too many take advantage and sneak in to watch the matches."

Addie felt her cheeks flare up. "That's terribly rude of them. I just need my thing. It's a very important thing. I'll be in and out, I swear."

"And what _thing_ do you need?"

"Uh…"

"I'm just pulling your leg," the old man howled. "I don't give a damn what you do. They don't pay me enough to care." Opening the door, Jahiro motioned for Addie to enter. "Go find your 'thing'." The man winked as Addie slid in, giving him weary smile and a quick thanks.

The employee halls were mostly quiet during matches. Everyone was busy stationed at their respective spots so it was easy for Addie to roam the halls unnoticed. For the most part, at least.

"Oi, girl." Addie whipped around to the shrill sound of a familiar voice. It was the old woman from when Addie had run off and got lost in the building's basement. The woman was pushing a cart full of cleaning supplies, her wrinkly hands tight on the handle bar. "Back so soon, I see."

"I was invited this time," Addie said, the defense quick on her lips. Why was she slinking around the halls, defending herself for being here when she had been properly invited?

"I know." The woman's eyes crinkled as she peered down at Addie. Despite being short and bent over from age, this woman's sense of authority was strong. "You smell different," she said, sniffing the air with great enthusiasm. "Like a rainy day, but with a hint of something else. A tinge of burnt toast."

Addie couldn't make sense of the words if she tried. This woman was all kinds of crazy, and she didn't feel like dealing with it. "If you say so. I better get going." The waterbender wasted no time turning on her heels and making a quick exist. The woman didn't follow her, much to Addie's relief. She had a weird habit of popping up in Addie's work place unexpectedly.

Happy no one else was on her tail, Addie found the pro-bending suites and knocked on doors until a familiar face answered. "Addie, you made it!" Bolin wrapped two arms around her and lifted her off the ground. "We were beginning to think you weren't coming."

Both Mako and Korra were in the room, dressed in their uniforms and ready to go. Only Bolin had yet to finish dressing. "I had some trouble getting in."

"Did you give the attendant at the booth your name?" Mako asked as he fastened his wrist guard tighter. "I put you on the list."

Addie tried not to sigh. "I didn't know there was a list." _That would have been nice to know_.

Mako paid it little mind. "You got in either way, that's all that matters."

"You excited to see some proper waterbending?" Bolin asked from the snack station, still not fully dressed. He was busy filling a plate full of sugary sweets. Addie could see Mako eyeing it, though if he wanted to say something about it, he kept his mouth closed.

"I am. This is the best seat in the house." Addie moved to the edge of the room. Beyond it was the fighting ring. The crowds were beginning to trickle into their seats. The match was soon to start.

"You won't get a better view from anywhere else," Korra said as she joined the girl. Addie had never seen her in full pro-bending gear. The look was streamlined, with a blue tie hugging her hips to mark her as the team's designated waterbender.

"You nervous?" Addie asked.

"Of course not." Korra looked anything but. In fact, the confidence radiating off her was almost palpable.

"Good." Addie looked back at the brothers. Mako was starting to fuss over Bolin and the fact he was eating instead of getting ready. "Did you talk to Tenzin about the flyers?" Addie kept her voice low, not knowing if the brothers were aware of what had happened earlier.

Korra pursed her lips. "We didn't really get a chance. There were some heated words exchanged about me missing my airbender training. I may have stormed off before I could mention it."

Addie felt immediately guilty. "Oh Korra, if I'd known I was keeping you from your Avatar training, I would never had let you help me."

The Avatar brushed her off. "I didn't miss training because of you, and I'd blow off airbender training any day. Tenzin is driving me up a wall. I missed training to practice with these fools." Korra pointed with her thumb to the brothers behind them. Bolin was making a move for the snack table again, this time Mako stepped in to intervene.

"Are you sure?" Addie would be damned if she kept the Avatar from training.

"Of course. This is where I need to be." Korra pointed out to the arena. "I'm not going to learn how to fight by sitting on an island meditating. This is how people fight now." Smacking her fist into her palm, Korra eyed the battleground before her. "This is how I learn. And then I can pass it on to you." She looked at Addie. "This could be you one day."

"This could be who one day?" Mako asked. Bolin had finally set down his plate and finished dressing, leaving his brother to wander over and catch the last of their conversation. Korra began to panic, fighting for the right words without giving Addie away.

"Korra thinks I should ask for a promotion," Addie lied. It wasn't the best coverup, but Mako seemed to buy it, encouraging her to lie some more. "She thinks I could work my way up to one day own the arena." Addie slapped Korra on the back in fake jest, laughing a little forcefully. "Naive Korra. I don't know the first thing about bending."

Mako crossed his arms, and nodded out to the ring. "Well you're about to learn. The match is starting."

The crowds had indeed settled, with the announcer's voice booming over the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the preliminary round of this year's pro-bending competition." The screams of the crowd were deafening. Addie had never realized how loud it was, having always been stuck up in the nosebleeds. It was quite overwhelming. No wonder so many pro-benders had a god complex. The energy the crowd fed into them was addictive. Mako cracked his knuckles, a look of pure determination on his face.

"You ready?" Addie asked.

Mako gave her a quick smile. "Always." Stepping out onto the platform, Mako motioned for Bolin and Korra to join him. They followed his command, waving to the crowd as the mass of spectators screamed at their arrival.

"Oooh and the crowd goes wild for the fresh-faced Fire Ferrets," the announcer said as the platform began to move them towards the ring. "Their new waterbender looks spunky, but can she perform? The team needs to win this round in order to make it to the qualifying match for the Championship Tournament." Reaching the ring, the three teammates took their position, lining up with their adversaries. "Tonight, they face the Wild Wombats, a team known for exhausting their opponents and striking when they're weak. Who will win?"

A referee took his spot high above the ring, his arm drawn high. "Benders ready?" The crowd hushed as anticipation set in. "Fight!"

Mako was the first to strike, sending a punch of fire into the Wombats' waterbender. The man twisted back as he lost her footing, catching himself only in time for Mako to send another jet his way. Bolin was busy shooting at the firebender; his shots clean and precise. But it was Korra who demanded everyone's attention. In a quick and aggressive move, she had the opposing earthbender thrown into the side of the ring, forcing he referee to call a foul almost immediately. The team was forced back one zone.

"What?" Korra yelled, shooting the ref a disgruntled look.

"You can only drive them off the back of the ring," Mako shouted from his spot. He was clearly frustrated, but Korra waved him off.

"Fine, fine. I get it." She took a fighting position, but this time wasn't ready for the onslaught of attacks coming from all the players.

"It seems the Wombats have clued in to how green the rookie is. They're focusing all their attention on her," the announcer called. In a quick one-two punch from the earthbender, Korra was sent flying back into the water down below. Distracted by the fall of his teammate, Bolin was struck next by a earth disk. It connected hard with his shoulder, downing the earthbender for a moment. He yelled out in pain before returning to his feet, face twisted with pain.

Addie winced as she watched the team quickly fall apart. Korra was playing recklessly, and the Wombats were using it to their advantage. But the Wombats weren't totally without fault either. Addie had been watching them, noting their weak spots. If growing up in a military family had taught her one thing, it was strategy.

Leaning over the edge of the suite, Addie called out to the Avatar as she pulled herself up from the water. "Korra, aim for the waterbender's left hand. Mako got him earlier and he's favouring it."

Korra gave the girl a thumb's up, acknowledging the tips as she was raised to the ring again. Round two was about to begin but the Avatar took a moment to pull her team into a huddle. There seemed to be a heated exchange of words, but the three broke their circle right in time for the whistle to blow.

The announcer was back on the mic. "I hope the Fire Ferrets have figured out how to work with one another, because up until this point, they're playing three different games."

Bolin was first to move as he dodged a low flying earth disk aimed to take out his feet. Face still bent in pain as his shoulder seized, Bolin retaliated, his strike suffering none for fit. It was full of power as his disk plowed into the other earthbender and sent him flying back a zone. Mako was right on Bolin's heel, working a three-combo kick to knock the earthbender over the edge. The waterbender was faring no better, as Korra concentrated the brunt of her attacks on him. The man struggled to hold his ground but his injured arm made him sloppy. Korra took this to her advantage, shooting cold jets of water near his injury and forcing him back a zone before another. It wasn't long before he was over the edge, the firebender not far behind.

"Ladies and gents, this is unbelievable. The Fire Ferrets have scored a knockout to win this round. It's like they're a new team. I've never seen them move so confidently and in sync." The announcer was out of his chair, mic in hand as he leaned in against his desk trying to get closer to the action. "Round Three has begun. But now, the Wombats seem worn and torn from the last round. Do they stand a chance?"

Korra, Mako, and Bolin moved around each other fluidly, totally in sync with one another. Their hits were precise, targeted, and strong. There wasn't much the Wombats could do yet defend themselves, their offensive completely lost. In less than a minute the last of their members was thrown off the back edge and sent tumbling to the water below.

Addie cried out in pride as the Fire Ferrets took the win. The crowd was feeling the joy too, cheering and applauding as the three took their respective bows. In all her years watching her family's earthbending, Addie had never seen anything like that. Pro-bending was such a convergence of different techniques and styles, she couldn't help but fawn over the Fire Ferrets. She was like a school girl, crushing on the athletes who would never look back at her. No wonder these players were idolised.

As the three took their spots on the dock to be transported back to the suite, Addie wondered how exactly she had gotten herself involved with these people. They were so beyond her, so above her—how did they not realize that? Yet as Mako, Korra, and Bolin came back towards her in the suite, each with their goofy smiles full of pride, she couldn't help but smile back. And for a moment, Addie forgot just who she was, or more importantly, who she wasn't.

**xxXXxx**

**So we finally get a taste of what life is like in the ring. Addie is totally overwhelmed by it. Could she one day do as Korra had mentioned? Could Addie be a pro-bender as well? She probably needs to practice more first lol. **

**If you liked the action, leave a comment. It makes me all warm and toasty on the inside.**


	6. Men of Shadows

**Disclaimer: Still defs don't own LOK**

**Chapter Six: Men of Shadows**

**xxXXxx**

"That was amazing," Addie blurted as Mako, Korra, and Bolin reached the suite, fresh off their win from the ring. "I've never seen benders move like that. You totally knew what you were doing."

Korra was practically beaming as she shoved Bolin in the shoulder with excitement. The boy moaned in pain, reminding the team of their not-so-hot first round and the injury he had sustained because of it. "Oh shit, sorry. You should get that looked at. But seriously, that just happened. We won. We actually won." Korra slapped Mako on the shoulder next, expecting him to rejoice where Bolin couldn't.

The firebender didn't give in to Korra's excitement. Instead he stood there, his eyes narrow as he frowned at her. The joys of winning were quickly dissipating amongst this crowd. Addie could feel it—like someone had opened a window and the joy had gone out with the draft. "Relax, would you?" Mako bossed. "We almost didn't win, remember? You did read the pro-bending rulebook I gave you, right? Because if you had, you would have known that you can only knock opponents off the back end. That cost us a foul."

Korra shrugged. "I skimmed the book. Besides, what does it matter? We won anyways."

"I think what Mako is trying to say, is that _we_ weren't prepared," Bolin jumped in, although the way he said 'we' sounded more like he wanted to say 'you'. The boy was just too damn kind to put Korra on the spot like that. "But we can go over the rules more in-depth before the next match. Right, Mako? I'll teach them to her."

The Firebender looked like he wanted to pull his hair out. "We had two training sessions before this game. You should have said you didn't know the rules. We could have gone over them before and avoided that foul."

"Again, we still won, so _again_ I'll say, 'what does it matter?'" Mako looked about ready to strangle Korra. Addie was quick to jump in between the two, preventing it from happening. She placed a hand on Mako's chest, her full attention on him.

"Yes, Korra should have learned the rules, but killing your only waterbender isn't going to help the matter. You're in the tournament now. You need her." Turning to Korra, Addie raised an eyebrow. "You really do need to learn the rules though, good grief, girl."

The Avatar at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Alright. Maybe I was a little too eager to get in the ring, so I bypassed a few steps. I'll learn the stupid rules for next time."

"Good, because I don't want to get hit in the shoulder again," Bolin said from where he had sat down. He was struggling to get his shirt off with one hand. His shoulder was turning a nice deep purple from where he had been hit.

"Here, let me help," Korra said as she came to his recue. "I can heal it. I learned from the best in the Southern Water Tribe."

Addie left the two alone as Korra took some water from a bottle and used it to begin healing Bolin's injury. Would Addie be able to do that one day? Was it a trait all waterbenders possessed, or just the skilled?

"She's reckless," Mako piped up from beside Addie. He had joined her off to the side of the suite, giving Korra and Bolin some privacy. He was still red in the face and sweaty from exertion, but his anger had dissipated. He seemed resigned to the reality that Korra was a wild card, but a useful one.

"She's passionate," Addie corrected him.

"Is passion enough?"

Addie considered his words. "To a point. It needs refinement, that's for sure."

Mako licked his lips, his arms crossed over his chest. "Sometimes I forget what passion looks like. Its become more about winning and being the best."

"I don't think you've forgotten passion. You wouldn't be here at this level if you weren't passionate about pro-bending. You've probably just lost sight of what originally drew you to the sport in the first place." Mako looked down at her, seemingly surprised by the thoughtful observation. "That's just a guess. I don't know you well enough to really say," she added.

"What about you, then? What are you passionate about?"

The question caught Addie off guard. No one had ever asked her that. "I, uh… I don't know."

The firebender raised an eyebrow. "You have no idea?"

Addie had never been given the time to find her passion. She had always been kept in the shadows of her siblings. She really didn't feel like telling Mako that. "I'll let you know if it figure it out," she joked instead, hoping he would drop the subject.

"Better sooner than later." Mako pushed off from the wall, before giving Addie a quick solute. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date to get ready for."

"Date?" Bolin was off the bench.

Korra cried out as her healing water burst and fell to the floor. "I wasn't done here."

"But Mako said the D word. He hasn't been on a date in years. Who is she?" Bolin was all up in his brother's face.

Mako laughed uneasily as he tried to put some space between them. "It's a girl I met, well crashed into. I mean she ran over me with her mope head. It's a long story. Anyways, she's taking me out for a late dinner tonight, so I will see you later. I need to hit the showers."

Bolin was left slack jawed as his brother exited the room. "That dog. Go figure." Turning to the girls, Bolin pulled his shirt upright. "Ladies, I should go shower too, for I have a date with the couch, a bowl of chips, and a loaf of bread." Korra raised her eyebrows. "It's called carb loading. It's a thing." Raising his arms, Bolin kissed each of his biceps. "It's how you build these."

"Okay, off you go," Addie said, shooing Bolin out the door. "I can see myself out." Bolin was off and running, leaving Korra and Addie behind. "Boys," the girl mumbled. "If it's not food, it's sex."

"I don't need to think about my teammates like that, thank you," Korra said, her ears turning red.

"Understood," Addie laughed.

"So tomorrow? Up for another training session?" Korra asked.

Addie smacked her lips a few times, trying to remember why she couldn't train in the morning. "Shit, I can't. I start my job tomorrow."

"I thought you already had a job, here, at the arena?"

"I do, but I owe some money, so I had to get a second job to pay off the debt. It shouldn't take me too long. I still have my weekends off though. Can we train then?"

"Sure." Eyebrow raised, Korra put a hand on her hip. "You aren't in trouble, are you?"

"Of course not," Addie rushed. "It's just a long story. Ask Bolin when you train with him tomorrow. He can explain. I need to go, though. I have an early morning." Addie waved to the Avatar as she departed, giving the girl little room to question her more. "See you later."

Shaking her head as she left, Addie took her time to walk through the windy halls. She choose to head to the front entrance rather than using the employee door again—she was a guest here tonight, after all. Along the hallways were posters and articles from past seasons, framed and hung for passersby to admire. Addie spent a good twenty minutes reading them, not feeling any rush to leave. As she finally made it to the front entrance, she noticed a few stragglers left from the match. One couple particularly caught her eye. It was Mako, speaking to a girl Addie could only describe as beautiful.

The two made quite the striking couple, both tall and dark haired. Addie wondered if she could slink by without being seen, but that would mean having to go back into the windy halls to find the employees door. She would be quick, then. Mako probably wouldn't notice her.

With some haste in her step, Addie bolted for the door. She only stopped—quite stupidly—when her name was called. "Addie." Mako's voice rang across the entrance. Turning on her heel, Addie retracted in her steps to meet the firebender and the girl on his arm. "Addie, this is Asami. Asami, meet Addie. She's… a friend."

Addie tried not to raise her eyebrow at his introduction. What exactly was she to Mako? She certainly felt like a friend to Bolin and Korra despite the short amount of time knowing them, but Mako was different. They were cordial, but _friends_ just wasn't the right word.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." The girl beside him extended a beautifully manicured hand out for Addie to shake. Everything about this girl was perfect. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect body. Even her makeup was done up to the nines. If Addie had gone out in public wearing that much powder, her mother would have had a fit. Addie was born to live in the shadows; this girl was meant to be seen. Despite the sudden unease Addie felt around her, she shook Asami's hand anyways.

"It's nice to meet you too. You're the one who crashed into Mako?" The words were out of Addie's mouth before she could stop them. She was so unnerved by this girl. Why couldn't Addie be like her? Would boys like Mako look at her then?

Asami tilted her head back and laughed. "Word gets around, doesn't it?" She gave Mako a playful pat on the chest. The boy looked a little sheepish but played it off with a quick apology. "I _am_ the one who ran into Mako, but I think it was fate at work. I'm a huge pro-bending fan and now I get to take out tonight's winner for dinner." She gave Addie a quick wink. Girl code, Addie thought. Or maybe she was reading the situation wrong. She didn't have any friends back home to base it on. "Are you a bender too?" Asami asked.

"Oh no. I just work here." The words sounded lame to Addie's ears. Would Asami hear the lie in them?

"I'm not a bender either. We'll have to stick together." There was a sweetness in Asami's smile, and Addie wondered if she was one of those girls was both beautiful and kind. Addie needed to leave, and fast.

"I didn't realize you weren't a bender," Mako said to Addie. "I guess I just assumed you were an earthbender since you wear their colours and get along with Bolin so well."

Addie tried to laugh off the statement, but it sounded a little shrill. "Nope. Just regular old me. I should probably let you get to dinner though. Don't want to keep you waiting." Beginning to walk backwards, Addie shuffled towards the front doors, hoping she wouldn't hit anything. "Have fun you too." When her back hit the door handle, she twisted on her feet and pushed out into the cold night.

She sucked in a breath of fresh air, relieved to be alone. Mako and his perfect girl were about to enjoy their perfect evening, and Addie didn't need to bear witness to it. The two love birds could have their privacy.

Rather than waiting for the bus to take her to the Dragon Flats Borough, Addie decided to go on foot. It would give her a chance to clear her head. She had been running on excitement all night, and meeting Asami had riled her up all over again. She should have just gone through the back door to avoid Mako and his new beau.

Trying desperately to work it out, Addie wondered why Asami bothered her so much. The girl had been nothing but kind in the entire two-minute conversation they had had. Was it because Addie couldn't deal with her own self image? Why was she feeling so insignificant? There was a perfectly good answer to that, if Addie was being honest with herself. It was something that had been drilled into her head from a very young age.

Addie's mother had always held her daughter back while urging her siblings to reach their full potential. With two older siblings and a younger one, Addie had been the awkward middle child. What separated herself from her siblings was one simple fact: she was the only non-earthbender. The day Addie had presented as a waterbender had changed her life in more ways than one. Addie was ten and didn't realized at the time the implication of what waterbending would mean for her. She was too young to fathom the wedge it would drive between her and her family. Jicho, she was a Jicho from that point on. And when her family turned against her, it seemed their whole community did too.

Asami had inadvertently brought those feelings back to the surface. Addie remembered being twelve, with the determination that if she couldn't win over her family with bending, she would win them with beauty. She had spent a good hour powdering her face on the eve of Summer Solstice. The Northern Earth Kingdom paid special attention to this holiday, her family hosting a banquet for the festivities that year. Addie had come down the staircase in the parlour, ready to present herself to the Aoki Clan and their most esteemed guests. Half the military command was there that night, with dignified political attendees roaming their halls. Addie had donned her prettiest gown, one rich in greens while her hair was curled in waves. With rouged cheeks, cherry lips, and eyes lined with charcoal, Addie had descended the stairs. There had been a murmur among the guests, but their reactions were cut short as Addie's mother came down on her daughter.

Her mother had screeched with fury as she grabbed her daughter by the wrist, dragging her back up to her room. "Jicho's don't get to be roses," she had yelled for all the guests to hear. "You'll wipe that filth off your face. You don't fool anyone." Addie had spent the rest of the evening in the shadows, her face raw from rubbing the makeup off, her eyes full of tears.

Faced with Asami, a woman so comfortable in her own skin, Addie couldn't handle the memories as they bubbled up. It was a pain she couldn't forget. One her mother wouldn't let her forget, even half a kingdom away.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Addie had stumbled into the Dragon Flats borough without paying much attention to her surroundings. These streets were familiar, but the girl couldn't make out quite where she was in relation to her apartment. Did she need to turn left up here or was she still a few blocks away? For a brief moment, Addie paused as she tried to get her bearings. That seemed to be enough of a pause for someone to make their move. Before Addie could cry out, a hand was on her arm and dragging her into the shadows of the nearest alleyway.

Instinct took over fast as Addie twisted in the assailant's grip. Years of growing up in a military family meant combat training for all the children. It was unavoidable, bender or not. At this very moment, Addie was more than grateful for it. Her attacker was fast though, and had her locked in an awkward hold with a few expert twists and turns. If she moved any, her arm would snap. It was painful enough as it was.

"Calm girl," the person holding her whispered. "We're not here to hurt you. We just want to talk."

Addie struggled as a mass of masked people descended out of the shadows and swarmed her. With power in numbers, the person holding her let go. Addie shook out her arm to bring feeling back to it. "You have a funny way on not hurting people." She was on the defensive, her crouch low and her arms up to guard her face.

The man who had caught her stepped forward. He was tall, lean, and boasted a thin long moustache. "I wasn't expecting you to fight back. But that's good. It's what we need."

"Who are you?" Addie demanded. She pivoted on her feet, counting all the bodies locking her into the alley.

"We are the resistance. We are the Equalists." The man held his arms open wide. It was a cocky move, showing a relaxed stance. He clearly didn't perceive Addie as a threat. That didn't make her feel any better so she held her pose.

"What do you want with me?"

"We are recruiting, and you have landed yourself in a unique position." The man pointed at her. "We heard you tonight say you were a non-bender, yet you work at the arena and have contact with one of the top pro-bending teams. Your access into the bending world is very valuable. We wish to engage with it."

Adrenaline pumped through Addie's blood. Her flight or fight response was threatening to kick in. "Engage with and do what?"

"Bring it down, of course." The man smiled, not out of malice but with confidence. "The benders have run this town for too long. It is time we take back power and rid the world of those infected with bending."

Sweat began dripping down Addie's hairline. These people clearly didn't know she was a bender. How violent would they get if they found out? "How would you do that?" Forcing her hands down, Addie tried to take on a more relaxed pose. If she could feign interest, maybe she could get out of this situation without having to fight. The man dug his hand into his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He passed it Addie, who tried not to let her hand shake as she reached for it. "I've seen this before. Yesterday, a plane dropped them over the city." It was the flyer with the masked man on it, the word "Equality" printed below.

"Yes, our message is spreading. Many are listening. They want to hear what we have to say, what he has to say." He pointed down to the man on the paper.

"Who is he?" Addie tried to study his face in the dim light of the alley.

"He is Amon. He will lead us to a society built on the principles of equality. No one will be at the mercy of benders. We will know no fear." There was a murmur of agreement from the masked people. "You won't have to know fear." The group of people began to melt back into the shadows then, leaving Addie alone with the man. "If you wish to join us, follow the instructions on the back of the flyer. We are meeting again soon." Before she could respond, the man stepped back into the dark and was gone.

Addie wasted no time booking it out of the alley. The light of the street lamps felt like a protective barrier from the men of shadows who had so easily cornered her. Beyond frazzled, Addie took off down the street and wandered the roads until she found one that was familiar.

Once in her apartment, Addie tossed the flyer onto the kitchen table and sunk into a chair. The offensive piece of paper sat crumbled, seeming to draw all her energy and leaving her drained. Today had soared with both highs and lows, yet this low seemed more dangerous than most. What to do, what to do? The question was too much for Addie, exhausted as she was. Maybe for now, she wouldn't do anything. Maybe for now, she would just sleep.

**xxXXxx**

**Our little Addie, she just can't catch a break. First Asami, now the Equalists. She also has absolutely no. freaking. confidence. Thanks mom. Hopefully being around some strong kick ass woman can show her otherwise. **

**As always, please read and review! I'm aiming for 3 reviews per chapter. That would make my heart glow.**


	7. Meddle in My Love Life, Would You?

**Hey guys! I hope you're having a fantastic ****Saturday. I wanna see if I can challenge myself to get 3 reviews on each chapter. My goal is to have over 100 by the time the story is done. Ambitious? Maybe. But I think you can all help me do it! Each chapter takes around 5-6 hours to write and edit so reviews make me feel like I'm not just writing for myself lol. Also, is anyone curious to know how long this chapter will be? I can defs give a loose answer if you want! Just ask ;)**

**Disclaimer: Not making any money off of this. **

**Chapter 7: Meddle in My Love Life, Would You?**

Dinner with Asami had been amazing. Not only was the girl beautiful, she was smart as a whip. Over the course of the evening, she had demonstrated her vast knowledge of all things mechanical and business. Mako was impressed, if not feeling a little out of his league. But for every fascinating tidbit she shared about her life, she seemed equally as interested in his. What was it like to be a pro-bender? Had he always wanted to fight competitively? How did he learn his style of combat? The questions had come rapid fire, and Mako was pleased to answer them. Usually when girls roped him into dinner, it was for one thing and one thing only, to claim a pro-bender as a notch on their bedpost. Not that Mako didn't enjoy the sex, he was just tired of the one-night stands those girls only seemed interested in. That was when he had promised himself no more dates. He would focus on pro-bending and nothing but. Then he had been hit by Asami on her mope head.

He had been too dazed to refuse the date she offered him in recompense for plowing him down. Truthfully, he could have cancelled afterwards, but the girl was so damn charming. How could he say no? And dinner had been worth it. He had learned the craziest things about Future Industries. Any question he asked, she answered. By the end of the night, the two were laughing their heads off as Asami told him all the hilarious fails her inventions had suffered.

Today, training with Bolin and Korra was proving more difficult than usual. The boy had a crush and his head was in the clouds. He didn't even process Bolin yelling at him to duck before an earth disk whacked him in the head.

Cursing, Mako put a hand to his head to nurse the sore. "Bro, you okay?" Bolin was by his side, his brother's face wincing as if he himself had been hit. "You were so out of it. I thought if I threw one near your head, you would snap out of the daze. Guess I was wrong."

Korra was too busy laughing her ass off at Mako's expense to offer any sympathy. "That was perfect. It hit you so squarely in the head and you didn't even see it coming."

Trying to regain a sense of composure, Mako shook off the hit. He would do his best to ignore the throb in his scalp. If he complained, it would only fuel Korra. "I was thinking. That's all."

"You must have been thinking pretty hard. Maybe best to avoid that in the future? It seems to take all your concentration," Korra offered between fits of giggles. Bolin seemed amused by the whole thing as well. He at least had more class than Korra and was trying to hold his laughter in.

"I'm fine. Bolin doesn't hit that hard." Lies. His brother packed a punched.

"You want to train for real then, oh Great One? Usually you're kicking our asses here. What's got you so distracted _you_ can't focus?" Korra plopped down on the ground to rest. Mako may have had his head in the clouds, but she had been working hard.

The firebender brushed her off and instead busied himself with a training dummy. "It's nothing you two would care about." He threw a few punches, hoping the two would drop it.

Bolin seemed to clue in then. "It was the date, wasn't it?" He was once again at his brother's side. There was little room for Mako to avoid him. "I want details. Who is she? Where did she take you? Does she have a good job? How did the date go? I mean, obviously it went well, otherwise you wouldn't be such a hot mess today. But it could have gone terribly, which is why you're so distracted." Bolin paused for air, about to take another deep dive before Mako cut him off.

"Dude, it went fine."

Bolin blinked rapidly. "That answered like, only one of my questions."

"Yeah, you're terrible at answering," Korra quipped. "I believe he also asked 'who is she? Where did she take you, and does she have a good job?'"

"That's a good question to ask. The economy is tough these days. You don't want a moocher." Bolin looked very concerned Mako had gone a date with a possible gold digger. "She's not a moocher, is she?"

Mako was quite done with this conversation. What did his love life matter to these two airheads? "How about we just focus on the training?" Neither Bolin or Korra seemed satisfied with that. Mako let out a breath, wondering if he'd regret the next words out of his mouth. "I invited her the next match, okay? You can meet her for yourselves and stop bothering me with all these questions." Mako indeed regretted those words, for it only seemed to fuel more excitement than settling it.

"She's coming? That's fantastic. I have so many questions for her. I want to know what kind of girl it takes to go for dinner with a guy like you and then agree to a second date." Bolin was giddy.

Korra seemed to be plotting. "What was her name again? I can have my connections look into her."

"What connections?" Mako asked, exasperated. "You don't have any."

"I know people in the police force," Korra informed him.

"Because you were arrested," he choked.

"Tomato, tomato," Korra sang. "Do you want a background check on her or not?"

Mako imagined if he were a teapot right now, he'd be blowing and whistling like no tomorrow. His whole face was red from the onslaught of these two. Absolutely ridiculous. Had they no boundaries? "That's it. Training is cancelled. You two, out!"

Korra sent him a glare, her lips in a pout. "You can't kick us out. You don't own the place."

"And you have no right to meddle in my love life, but here we are," Mako shot back. "Now out."

Korra maintained her glare but gathered her belongings anyways. "This isn't over. Just wait till we meet her." She let out a maniacal laugh as she exited the room for good measure.

It was Bolin's turn to push Mako's buttons a few more times. "I live here though," he stressed. "How can you kick me out?"

"Just like this." Mako grabbed his brother by the shoulders and began steering him towards the door. "You can go bother anyone else in the arena. Take your pick." Stepping around him to open the door, Mako pointed to the hall as he pushed his brother out. "You can come back when you've decide my love life isn't of any interest to you. Until then…"

Bolin's bottom lip began to waver. "But Mako—"

But Mako never got to hear the end of sentence, for he closed the door on his brother then. It wasn't a hard-hitting slam, just a steady yet firm swing to show Bolin he wasn't furious with him. Mako just needed some space.

The peace once Bolin left was the greatest silence Mako had ever heard. There was no bickering or arguing. No teasing at his own expense. Mako had the room to himself and it felt good. Not that he enjoyed kicking both Korra and Bolin out, but it was so rare for Mako to have a moment alone.

Since the day his parents had died, Mako had been in charge of Bolin. That meant a lot of growing up for an eight-year-old to do. The comforts of home had quickly been replaced by the savageness of the streets, and yet Mako had found a way. A way to survive. They may not have been thriving, but at least they were getting by. He had done his best to shelter Bolin from the streets, but there were times when Mako had no resources to fend for his brother. As a last resort, they had fallen into crime to get by. It was petty crime at first, yet soon the two had attracted the attention of the Triads, gangs who ran the streets in the unruly parts of Republic City.

The Triads had taken a particular interest in Mako. The boy had natural talent firebending and with a little bit of training, he had become a valuable asset to them. Bolin had fallen in behind as a product of his environment. For years the two did side jobs, yet the older they got, the deeper they fell in. By age sixteen, Mako had had enough. What kind of an example was he setting for his younger brother? There were no morals on the streets. The law only extended to what the police could catch, and the two were fast. But what was that teaching Bolin? Mako had thought long and hard on it. If they were fast enough to evade the police, then they were fast enough for pro-bending. That was the line of thinking that brought Mako to his first match. Pro-bending wasn't a straight success for the brothers. Before they could make it to the big arena, they had to establish themselves in the underground bending scene. There were rings all over the city and starting out, he and Bolin took every match they could get.

It had been a rough go at first. The rules and techniques of pro-bending were new to both brothers. There had been a considerable amount of learning to do, but by watching other players, the boys learned. They spent time developing their own style, mixing their moves with what the Triads had taught them in the streets. Mako favoured a calm and collected style, one that sussed out his opponent's weakness first before striking. Bolin was the opposite, using hard hits to throw his target off balance and overwhelm them. The two together complimented each other, and by the time they found a suitable waterbender to match their style, they were ready to hit the pro-bending circuit.

They had spent a year building their name and credentials in Republic City, only to lose in the qualifying match for finals. This year was different. This year they had Korra. A wild card, no doubt, but a hard worker with excellent technique. Maybe this year, they could go all the way. If only training didn't give Mako such a head ache. Bolin had a habit of talking anyone's ear off and Korra liked to make quips just because she could. Why couldn't Mako get some peace and quiet? If it wasn't the two playing off one another here, then it was Bolin at home, running his mouth on any random topic. Or it was Mako's work at the plant; the constant hiss of electricity and machines clanking. The worst was the arena when they had matches. Nonstop screaming from the crowd. All Mako wanted was some quiet.

At least with Asami, she had given him room to breathe. She didn't push or pester him. She had given him time to think about his answers when she asked a question. It was wonderful and refreshing. Maybe Korra and Bolin would learn a thing or two from her.

His silence was cut short by a knock on the door. Gods, why wouldn't Bolin just leave him alone? In a fit, Mako stomped to the door and whipped it open. "What—" He was cut off by the sight of someone unexpected. Addie.

She stood before him with a concerned look on her face. "I don't mean to bother you, but is Korra here?"

Mako leaned against the door, trying to let his anger dissipate. Addie wasn't a threat to his quiet like Bolin or Korra was. He didn't need to take his anger out on her. "No, she just left."

Addie let out a small breath. She was clearly anxious about something. "Okay. Thanks. I'll see if I can find her later." She turned on her heel to leave.

Mako had every intention of letting Addie go so he could enjoy his peace a little longer, but something had him holding the door open and calling out to her. "Wait, what is it?"

Addie paused mid step, seeming to debate whether or not to involve Mako. "Don't worry about it. If you see her later, will you tell her I stopped by? My shift is starting soon. She can find me in the upper levels."

Mako gave the girl a quick nod. "Will do."

"Thanks." Addie wasted no more of his time and disappeared down the hall.

Closing the door, Mako once again had his peace and quiet, yet it wasn't quite as satisfying as before.

**xxXXxx**

Addie had awoken that morning in a bit of a panic. Her sleep that night had been restless, and the bags under her eyes had been deep. But she had a morning shift to get to and little time to think on the events of the day before. In a rush, she shoved the flyer given to her by the Equalists into her bag. She hoped she would catch Korra at some point in the day. She was the Avatar. Surely, she would know what to do. For now, Addie had to manage her two jobs, cause showing up and getting fired wasn't an option. Equalists or not, she still had a debt to pay.

As Addie made her way to the restaurant, she swore someone was following her. It was like a shadow, skirting the edge of her vision. Every time she whipped her head around hoping to catch whoever it was, they were gone. By the time Addie got to work, she wasn't sure it if was paranoia getting the best of her or if the threat was real.

She had little time to worry about it though. Her new boss wasted no time putting her out on the floor, instructing her to take orders and not confuse tables as she dished them out. The work wasn't laborious, but Addie had never waited tables before. She didn't know how a kitchen worked, and she certainly didn't know how to carry a tray of food. It took more balance than expected. At least the customers were either too tired or too hung over to make a stink about her shitty service. Her boss was quite forgiving as she worked through the learning curve. By the end of the shift, Addie was quite happy to be away from the smell of deep fried food. She of course didn't pass up the opportunity for a free meal as she left the restaurant, a perk of the job.

Looking at the time, Addie had an hour before her other shift started at the arena. Maybe two jobs had been overzealous of her. She was still tired from her restless sleep, and the thought of slugging away another eight hours on her feet was daunting. But the flyer she had hastily packed away earlier was burning a hole in her pocket. She still needed to talk to Korra, and aside from Air Temple Island, the only place Addie knew Korra hung out was at the arena.

She made her way there without interruption. If there had been a shadow on her tail this morning, it no longer haunted her steps. Entering the lobby rather than the employee door, Addie kept her eyes alert for the Avatar. She didn't want to miss Korra in case she was on her way out. But there was no sign of her in the lobby, so Addie headed up, pulling out the flyer to show Korra the minute she saw her. There were a number of training rooms in the arena, though Addie only had to knock on one door before finding a familiar face. It wasn't quite the one she was looking for.

Mako seemed quite agitated as her opened the door post her erratic knock. Addie was feeling rather agitated herself thanks to a lack of sleep, a minor kidnapping the night before, and the possibility of someone trailing her this morning.

"What—" Mako cut himself off almost instantly, his annoyance melting into what Addie could only describe as a minor irritation.

She would have snapped back, but she wasn't here to make an enemy of him. She had a mission to finish. "I don't mean to bother you, but is Korra here?"

Mako pulled the door closer to himself, not giving her enough room to come in should she have wanted to. She was either interrupting something important or he clearly didn't want her here. "No, she just left."

Obviously, he just didn't want her here. That was fine with her. He wasn't who she was looking for anyways. "Okay. Thanks. I'll see if I can find her later." Addie didn't want to waste any more time and pivoted around to leave.

"Wait, what is it?" Mako called, halting her on her heels.

Did Addie really want to involve Mako? If she was being watched, it was probably best to keep her circle as small as possible. "Don't worry about it," she replied. "If you see her later, will you tell her I stopped by? My shift is starting soon. She can find me in the upper levels."

Mako looked as if he was about to press her but ignored the impulse. "Will do."

That was all Addie needed to hear. "Thanks," she said as she took off, wondering what her next move would be. Work apparently, since her hour of free time was drawing to a close. It was a good thing her feet were already sore from spending all morning on them. Now she got the pleasure of cleaning floors with sore heels for the next eight hours.

By the time her shift had ended, Addie was dead on her feet and her heels were forming blisters. If she could float home, that would have been ideal. If she could have roped a co-worker into carrying her home, that was second best. But there was no gallant hero to sweep her off her feet and navigate the busy streets of Republic City to carry her home. So, she took the bus instead, careful not to fall asleep and miss her stop.

**xxXXxx**

Korra seemed to have a habit of being exactly where Addie wasn't every time the waterbender was at the arena. Three days had passed since Addie's low-key kidnapping. She liked to call it that since it made herself seem more badass. Whether or not it was entirely accurate, she didn't care. She had yet to tell anyone about it.

This particular night though, the Fire Ferrets were playing in the qualifying match for the Championship Tournament. Addie's shift was a short one, thank the gods. Her shoes were rubbing her feet to the point of being bloody. The timing of her shift ending was perfect though. She was off right as the game would be finishing. She could corner Korra there. Tomorrow was the weekend and even though she and the Avatar had training scheduled, Addie felt like she had been sitting on the flyer for too long. The date of the Equalists meeting was coming up fast, and Addie still didn't know how to go about it.

Finishing the last of her cleaning, Addie stowed her mop and bucket away, shuffling her way to the bending suites. Her blisters were on fire by now. The need to buy new shoes was great, but Addie hadn't a dollar to spare. The only shoes she had brought were her military boots from home, and she couldn't wear those to work. So, on her limited budget, she had purchased cheap shoes that looked acceptable but rubbed her heels raw. She had done her best to bandage her heels. The look was awkward and bulky, as the bandages were thick and wrapped around her ankles to stay put. When she was wearing her jumpsuit, no one noticed. When she was wearing her casual clothes, as she had changed into now, they were clearly obvious. One more reminder Addie didn't have her shit together, she supposed. If only her mother could see her now.

The Fire Ferrets were entering round three as Addie made her way to their suite. She hadn't paid much attention to who the opposing team was. But checking the score, it was 1-1. The Fire Ferrets seemed to be maintaining their synchronicity from the last match, though their competition tonight was much stronger. Opening the door to the suite, Addie was surprised to find in occupied.

"Oh Addie, you're here!" Asami was stood near the opening of the suite, a pleasant smile on her face as she turned to see Addie. "I didn't know you were coming. It's so nice to see you again."

Addie resisted the urge to back-peddle out of the room. Why was getting to Korra so hard? Would it be rude to back out and come back later? Probably. Asami was a guest and would be hanging around after the match, no doubt. Addie would just have to put her big girl boots on and be an adult. All she had to do was wait for the match to finish, then she could pull Korra aside and do what she came here to do. So she put on her best smile and stuck her hand out, greeting Asami as if she didn't remind Addie of all her insecurities.

**xxXXxx**

**3 reviews! We can do it! Love ya guys! I would write anyways even if no one was reading. It's my stress release**


	8. These Boots Weren't Made for Walking

**Yayyy! We got 3 reviews last chapter! You guys are awesome. Can we do it again?**

**Disclaimer: Do not own LOK**

**Chapter 8: These Boots Weren't Made for Walking**

"Asami, hi." The waterbender shook Asami's hand. "I actually just came to talk to Korra."

Releasing her hand, Asami indicated for Addie to sit down on the bench after taking her own seat. "Why don't you join me while you wait. Mako invited me but it's not as much fun when you're watching alone. I'd love the company."

"Of course." Not wanting to appear rude, Addie slid onto the bench.

"You said you work here, right? That must be so cool. You're always around the action."

Did Addie tell her Asami she mopped floors for a living? "I guess I am."

"Is that how you met Mako and Bolin?" Round two had started. Addie could see out of the corner of her eye the Fire Ferrets bobbing and weaving in the ring, but she was too busy trying to answer Asami's question to really pay attention.

"You could say that."

Asami leaned back, a thoughtful look on her face. "I had a great conversation with Mako about what life as a pro-bender is like. I couldn't believe the things he told me."

"I haven't really talked to him that much," Addie confessed. She heard the ref blow his whistle. Things were getting heated in the ring, but Asami had more questions to send her way.

"You should really talk to him. His story is fascinating. Where did you say you came from? I don't know if I asked yet."

Addie was about to answer when a chorus of cries from the crowd stole her attention. Both her and Asami turned their attention to the ring, where Mako was exchanging heated words with the ref and the team captain of the opposing team. Bolin and Korra stood further back. Bolin looked worried, where Korra looked defensive. "What happened?" Addie was on her feet, at the edge of the suite and as close to the ring as she could get without falling into water.

Asami was by her side but remained as clueless as her. They didn't have to wait long before the announcer's voice boomed over the intercom. "Ladies and gents, in a fascinating twist, it appears the Fire Ferret's waterbender is indeed the Avatar." Addie felt a wave a panic wash over her. Korra must have gotten frustrated at used another form of bending, exposing herself.

Asami crossed her arms, her posture straight. "I wondered if this would happen."

"You knew she was the Avatar?" Addie asked.

"Mako told me. I guess you knew too? You don't look so surprised."

"I knew."

"Well I hope it doesn't disqualify them," Asami fretted. "It means to much for them. For Mako."

For once, Addie wholeheartedly sided with Asami. The was another tense beat that seemed to still the entire arena as they held their breath in anticipation. The announcer was back on to deliver the verdict quickly. "It seems the judges have ruled it okay for the Avatar to compete so long as she only uses waterbending." Cheers erupted from the crowd. The only ones displeased about it were the opposing team, though their appeal was short-lived before the match picked again.

This time conversation stalled between the two girls. Each were focused on the match, which had a heightened sense of intensity since Korra's identity had been revealed. The opposing team were throwing their everything at the Fire Ferrets, but the three didn't waver this time. Mako was quick with his fire jabs, Bolin following up with precise earth disks aimed to take out feet. Korra was last to follow, delivering the killing blow with a strong jet of water to knock their opponents off the back edge of the ring.

Addie was on her feet, cheering as the Fire Ferrets claimed victory. Asami was right beside her, her hands pumping the air as she called out Mako's name in excitement. After a minute of soaking up their glorious win, the three were on the transport dock, heading towards Addie and Asami.

"Addie, you're here." Bolin was off the dock first. He locked his arms around the girl, squeezing her a little too tight. "I didn't know you had the night off. I would have invited you."

Addie chuckled as she pulled back from the earthbender. "I just got off. I was lucky enough to catch the last round."

"Then you saw us beat the crap out of them." Bolin was all serious now as he karate chopped the air. "Mako was all 'punchy, mc-punch face', and I was like 'pew, pew, screw you, sir', and then Korra was just Korra, being a badass and knocking them right over. It was great!"

"It was better than great. It was perfect." Korra was grinning from ear to ear, high off the win and Bolin's compliment.

"It was sure something," Mako agreed as he came up to Asami and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm glad you came."

Asami nuzzled in closer to him. "I'm glad I was invited." She threw a fake punch, playfully getting him in the jaw. Mako spun out as if she had delivered a knockout blow.

"Geeze, one date and you'd think they're getting married," Bolin said from beside Addie. "Makes me sick."

Addie agreed with that sediment. She had never been much of a romantic. Probably her parent's robotic marriage to thank for that one. "To each their own," she supposed aloud before turning to Korra. "I really need to talk to you," she said a bit more quietly while Bolin was distracted by his brother's PDA.

"Must be important," Korra guessed. "Since we have training tomorrow."

Addie could only nod. The flyer was heavy in her pocket. If only Korra and her could have a moment alone to discuss it. The moment was gone, as Asami pointed to Addie, or more importantly her shoes.

"Addie, I meant to ask you earlier. What's with the bandages. Are you hurt?"

Four pairs of eyes turned down to Addie's feet. "Oh, that's nothing. I just have some blisters from my shoes." She wished to three would move on to something else. The team had just qualified for the championship, why were her feet of any importance?"

"If your feet are sore, I can heel them," Korra told Addie. Before she could protest, Korra had Addie on the bench, watching while the waterbender slowly unravelled the bandages. There was a collective moan from the three as Addie pulled the last of the bandages off, revealing bloody heels. Apparently over the course of her day, Addie had done even more damage to her heels. She tried not to hiss as Korra took one leg and propped it on her knee.

"I think you need better shoes," she said as she focused some water on the wound. The sensation felt cool and soothed the sting immediately.

"I'll manage."

Bolin was right next to Korra, concern all over his face. "I'm so upset right now. My poor Addie, walking around with these terrible, ugly sores on her feet. Tragic."

"it's not the end of the world," Addie tried to soothe him. Wasn't she the one supposed to be in pain? Why was she comforting Bolin? The absurdity of it almost made her laugh.

"You can't spend all day in shoes that hurt you like that," Mako said from behind Bolin and Korra. His arms were crossed, looking every part a concerned parent.

Korra had moved onto the other foot while Addie answered him. "I can't wear boots to the restaurant. They wouldn't allow it."

"What restaurant?" Mako asked.

"For my other job."

"What other job?" Bolin asked, perking his head up like a goffer.

Was her entire life hung out to dry tonight? Addie wanted to sink into the floor. "I got another job to pay you back for the season's pass."

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "We made a payment plan, so you wouldn't have to stretch yourself thin."

Addie shrugged, not really knowing what to say. "Money is tight. It doesn't hurt to have a second source of income."

"I get that," Mako affirmed, "but you're not supposed to work yourself to skin and bone either, literally."

Maybe coming to speak to Korra had been a bad idea. While Addie had aimed for a private conversation, she was not the center of attention. "I was making it work."

Korra raised an eyebrow at her. "This is not making it work."

"So, I'll buy new shoes," Addie huffed.

"Or I can do you one better," Asami interjected. "I don't know why you owe the brother's a season's pass, but I'll pay for it. And a new pair of shoes." Asami dug deep into her pocket and pulled a wad of cash out. "How much does she owe you?"

The whole scene was almost comical. Addie had never seen someone pull so much money from seemingly nowhere, offering it up to help a stranger. It didn't even feel like real life. Mako seemed just as dumbfounded, his head whipping back and forth between Addie and Asami. "That's very kind of you, but I can't let you do that," Addie stammered. "It's too much."

If Asami heard her, she ignored the girl. "How much? Does this cover it?" she asked Mako. The firebender, still speechless, nodded his head as Asami counted the cash and placed it in his hand. "Good." Smiling, Asami turned to Addie, still anchored to her spot by Korra. "If you're a friend of Mako, then you're a friend of mine, and my friends don't suffer."

"But—" Addie stuttered.

"No buts. You don't owe me anything. Future Industries is flourishing, and if I can pass on the wealth, then I will."

Addie had to hold back tears. The generosity was so overwhelming, and Asami had thought so little of it. She had offered her help so quickly and without expectation of anything in return. This wasn't how things were done in the Northern Earth Kingdom. Everything was give and take. There were no handouts and generosity extended no further than personal gain. Addie had expected the same here. The streets seemed tough and if you weren't tough back, they would take you for everything you had. But here was a kindness Addie had not expected. Maybe Republic City had a softer side than she first assumed.

"Thank you," Addie said quietly.

"Don't mention it. Asami's eyes crinkled as she smiled. "I do what I can." Addie didn't feel like 'thank you' was quite enough, but Asami wouldn't have any more of it. Pointing to Mako, she gave him a stern look. "You make sure she gets a decent pair of shoes with what's left from the season's pass."

"Yes ma'am." Mako still looked shocked to be holding all that money.

"Good. And don't call me ma'am," Asami noted. "It makes me feel old."

Nodding, Mako stashed the cash in his pocket and looked at Addie. "Your debt is paid." The words were like a weight being lifted off her chest. One less responsibility to worry about.

"And your feet are healed," Korra said as she released Addie's heel and stood. She wiped at her brow with comical effect. "You cut out my work for me."

Addie turned her left heel out to see the raw blisters had been restored to bright pink skin. Fascinating. That was a trick she'd like to learn. "You guys treat me very well."

Bolin slid in beside Addie and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We take care of those who need it. And you needed it. You were a hot mess before us."

Addie's head tilted back as she laughed, grabbing Bolin's arm and pushing it away playfully. "A real knight in shining armour. What would I do without you?"

Bolin was just about to answer when the door to the suite blasted open. Everyone's head turned to see who had caused the commotion. A very tall and very bald man stood in the door way. He was also very angry.

Korra was on her feet instantly, blocking the others as if she were a human shield. Who was this man? Was he a threat? Addie stood from behind Korra, about to take a fighting stance despite still not wearing shoes.

"Korra," the man gaped. "Pro-bending? Have you lost your mind?"

"Tenzin, I can explain—"

The bald man cut her off with a wave of his hand. "You have blatantly disregarded my orders. You were to stay on Air Temple Island."

"And do what? Meditate some more on how bad at airbending I am?"

The man—no, Tenzin, sucked in a sharp breath. "I have tried my best to get through to you with both patience and understanding, yet clearly the only you _understand_ is force. I am ordering you, return to Air Temple Island right now and be done with this madness."

If Korra were a dog, her hackles would have been raised. Addie was sure she heard the girl snarl. "This madness is the way of the future."

"This madness," Tenzin seethed, "doesn't even incorporate airbending."

"Maybe, just maybe, I don't even need airbending!"

Tenzin's eyes nearly fell out of his head at the suggestion. "What a ridiculous thing to say. The Avatar needs to master all four elements, not prance around a rink throwing fits like you've demonstrated tonight."

"What I've demonstrated tonight are modern styles of fighting," Korra shot back, not missing a beat. "That's what I should be focusing on."

"There is more to being the Avatar than fighting, Korra," Tenzin said as he reached a level of exasperation that proved the conversation would meet no civil end.

"Then I guess I'll just disappoint you." Without missing a beat, Korra grabbed the door and swung it shut on her mentor's face. The last Addie saw of Tenzin was the shock and disappointment as the door slammed shut. The tension is the room was palpable as Korra fumed. She began pacing back and forth in frustration.

"So that's Tenzin," Bolin said after a tense beat. "He's a lot more bald than I was expecting."

It was the right thing to say to break the tension. Both Asami and Addie relaxed, each letting out a laugh. Korra remained pacing, nearly drilling a trench into the floor. It was Mako who finally interjected her war path. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he gave her a questioning look.

"Are you okay?"

Korra huffed, blowing a piece of loose hair out of her eyes. "I'm fine."

"Well 'fine' is about to wear a hole in the floor. So why don't we try for something else?"

Korra look back at the door, as if expecting Tenzin to burst in once again. "Did I say the right thing?"

"I can't be the one to tell you that," Mako answered honestly. "But you should probably go home and talk things over with him."

The Avatar took a deep breath in, letting her nerves simmer a bit. "You're probably right. He's just so frustrating."

"Then don't go in feeling frustrated. Take a minute, calm yourself down and go in with a clear head. He seems like a good man. He'll probably listen if you speak openly and without all the anger." Mako tapped his brow with a knowing look. "Anger doesn't always get you what you want."

"When did you become such an old wise man? I prefer the cold and detached Mako more," Korra joked. She seemed to be reaching for comedy, which Addie assumed meant her temper had settled.

"That's the thing, I've always been wise." Mako winked as he ignored the scoff from Bolin. Turning Korra on her heels, the firebender urged her forward to the door. "Now go clear your head and figure your shit out with Tenzin. We have practice tomorrow and don't need you to be distracted."

"Ah, that's the ulterior motive I was looking for," Korra said as she opened the door. "Thank you, Mako," she said and closed it behind her.

Mako stood like a proud father with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. Bolin was quick to rub it away by slapping his brother lightly on the cheek. "You think you're so smooth. We would have all said the same thing to her."

"I think you did good," Asami said as she intertwined her arm with Mako's. "You're pretty wise, you know?"

"I try," Mako said, bending his head down to her level.

"Ugh, ew. Get a room," Bolin yelled as he tossed a towel at the two. "Addie, I don't want to see this. Walk me out, would you?"

Addie didn't hesitate. Grabbing her shoes, she waved goodbye to the couple and followed Bolin out the door. That's when the realization hit her. "Shit."

"What?" Bolin asked. The two were alone in the hallway.

"I really needed to talk to Korra." It was the sole purpose Addie had come here, and everything had happened but that one thing.

"You can talk to me." Bolin looked almost offended Addie hadn't considered him.

For a moment, she hummed and hawed, weighing the pros and cons of telling Bolin. The tipping point was that Bolin already knew she was a waterbender. It might have been better if he knew what had happen to avoid saying something he shouldn't in the future. Pulling out the flyer, Addie handed it to him. Instant recognition flashed across his face. Bolin knew exactly what this flyer was. He just didn't know why she had one. He said as much.

"It was given to me a few nights ago. I was cornered in an alley by the Equalists." Addie tapped the paper. "They don't know I'm a bender. They want to recruit me because they think I have an in with the Avatar."

"You do have an in with the Avatar," Bolin pointed out.

Addie puffed a frustrated breath. "I know that. But they want me because they think I'm a non-bender. What if they find out what I can do? What would they do to me?"

Bolin looked between the flyer and Addie, trying to come to some kind of conclusion. "Don't let them find out. It seems pretty simple."

That didn't satisfy Addie. Taking the flyer from Bolin, the girl flipped the page and pointed to the address on the back. "They're having a meeting coming up and they want me there. I don't know if I have a choice. I think someone's been tailing me."

"I thought they were about Equality. Wouldn't forcing you into their cause go against what they believe in?" Bolin questioned.

"That's what I thought too. But the leader mentioned how I was in a unique position. I don't think they're going to let me walk away without getting something out of it, intentional on my part or not." Addie could feel the sensation from earlier, the feeling that someone was watching her. It made the hair on her neck stand up. "I think they're planning to use me to get to Korra. This was just an invitation before resorting to force."

Bolin snapped the page from Addie, once again reading the address. "We need to tell Korra. She'll want you to go to the meeting."

Addie felt her palms go sweaty. "You think so?"

"Korra's not one to stand by and let shit happen. She'll probably charge head first into the meeting herself." Bolin seemed quite sure of that, and Addie believed it. Korra was like a bull in a china shop, all rage and no grace. It may not have been the tactic Addie would have used, but the situation was bigger than her.

"Tomorrow when I train with Korra, will you come? I want you to be there when we discuss what to do," she asked Bolin. She hadn't realised how much trust she put into Bolin until now. Was it his kindness she was a sucker for? The boy had such a sweet smile. Anyone could be drawn in by his charm.

Bolin handed the flyer back to her. "Of course. Same place?"

"Same place," Addie spoke. How had this happened? How had Addie gotten herself involved in such a thing? She had only been in the city for a few weeks. This was not a part of the plan. Getting involved with terrorist's groups was definitely not part of the plan.

The earthbender seemed to sense her trepidation. "Don't worry, Addie. We'll figure it out. What could go wrong?"

Addie tucked the flyer in her pocket. She gave Bolin a quick look before making her exit, ready to head home and prepare for tomorrow. "That's a cliché I don't want answered."

**xxXXxx**

**Another one done! Let me know if it gave you any feels :)**


End file.
